All the Weſtern and Northern parts of Scotland are fenc'd with ſmall Iſlands, which not only break off the Force of the Atlantick Ocean, but make excellent Harbours for Shipping, and Conveniencies for Trade.

The Shores to the North of Scotland may be ſaid to regard the ad⯑jacent Pole, either becauſe it lies directly open to the Great Northern Ocean, which no Sailer could ever yet find the Extent of; or becauſe it ſees that Pole elevated to a great Height.

I call that continual Cold in the Frozen Seas here Tyrant Cold, becauſe he reigns Uncontroll'd by the Acceſſion of any Heat from the Sun.

Shines in Ice. The Ice and Snow always give a kind of Light, tho faint and melancholy.

Youngeſt Siſter, becauſe the North Capes and the Coaſt of Greenland [...] to be of the ſame Family, but advanc'd farther North. Firſt youngeſt, a Licence taken to exp [...]eſs Scotland the firſt of the Habitable, or at leaſt So⯑ciable Parts of the World ſo far North.

The Raging of the Sea will often reſemble Fire, and ſeem to burn, eſpecially as ſome ſay on a Southerly Wind.

The high Shores could be in no place more needful to place Bounds proportion'd to the furious and vaſt Northern Ocean that beat upon Scot⯑land▪ from whence there is nothing but Water to the very Frozen Zone of the North Pole. Thoſe Rocks therefore are the Lands Defence, and the O⯑cems Bridle, and conſequently Beauties in their Kind, made ſo by the Ne⯑ceſſity of them.

The Situation of Scotland is certainly her Defence againſt either the Fury of the Ocean from the North, or of Invaders from the South; the dangerous Coaſt being ſuch, that no Fleets care to venture themſelves long at Sea that way.

By the Monsters of the Pole may be underſtood the Whales, in former times terrible to Mariners, as frequently overſetting the ſmall Barks they ſailed in; Or ſince, by the greater Skill in Navigation, that fear is at an end, it may be taken for the Monſtruous floating Iſlands of Ice, which by the Fury of the Winds, are driven about the Northern Seas.

Floating Worlds, Navys and Fleets of Ships of War to aſſault that Country, and tranſport Armys to make Deſcents and Depredations on the Coaſt.

The Worlds Surprize to find ſo fine a Countrey ſo Peopled, and ſo In⯑habited behind ſuch terrible places, which to the Sea-ward promiſe no⯑thing but Deſert, and abandon'd, uninhabited Places.

The Ʋnion, whereby Improvement ſhall reveal the hidden Fruit⯑fulneſs of Scotland.

Scotland is allowed the Left hand of Brittain as to Wealth, England as her younger Siſter in matter of Antiquity, muſt however be allowed the Right hand in Wealth and Trade, at leaſt till Union, if ever that ſhall happen, make them all one.

The ſcandalous Reproaches of Authors pretending to deſcribe either her Climate, People, or Government have been intollerable, and have buried her Character with Noiſe and Slander; which being never yet de⯑fended in publick, or any Attempt made to clear up thoſe things to the World, Foreign Nations are too much poſſeſt with the Belief of what, when the Truth comes to be examined, appears meer Fiction and Falſity.

Cleavland in his Poem upon Scotland, has ſaid a Thouſand extrava⯑gant things on theſe Heads.

By the Horrid Bear is to be underſtood the Conſtellation ſo call'd, which Scotland, being ſo far North, eaſily ſees in its whole Circular Motion round the Pole.

This is as ſuggeſted by Foreign Authors, in open Injury of Scotland, and one of the principal Reaſons of this Poem.

'Tis preſum'd this Part will clear the Author from a Charge of Flat⯑tery, he deſigning to ſay nothing in this Poem, but what Juſtice and the Nature of things require.

Various Aſpects, Reſpecting the Situation of the Coaſt, or the Plan of the Countrey, which eaſily diſcovers that Scotland is equally qualified for Trade with any Nation in the World, whether we conſider her Open⯑neſs to all Parts of the Trading World; or the Convenience of her Har⯑bours, ſafe Roads, and Neighbourhood both to the German and Atlantick Oceans.

Her unhappy Circumſtances, with reſpect to the reſt of Brittain, have, without doubt, been the great Obſtructions of her Proſperity, particularly as to Trade.

The Ancients, in their ſailing theſe Seas, were ſtrangely ſurprized at two things, 1. The Length of the Days, which they, being general⯑ly Phenicians and South-Countrey Merchants, had not been uſed to: From whence ſome of them, more addicted to ſuperſtitious Obſervations than the reſt, blindly imagined, that (ſince the farther they went North-ward, the Days were the longer, and in ſome parts hardly any Night) the E⯑liſium Shades muſt needs be thereabouts, and that if they ſhould go further, they ſhould come at length to Bright Eternal Day. 2. They were ſurpriz'd not with the Storms and Tempeſts only, but with the Tides and Currents, which were not only ſtrange to 'em, but particularly terrible, in that they drove 'em in amongſt the Rocks and Shores, where they often periſh'd, not from any Real Danger, but for Want of Judgment From whence we have them often expreſſing themſelves in this manner,

Thule, an Iſland in the north of Scotland, was frequently fabled among the Ancients to repreſent the Eliſium, which could be for no other Reaſon than the Length of the Days.

‘Dierum ſpatia ultra noſtri () his menſuram & nox clara, & extrema Britan⯑niae p [...]rte b [...]vis, ut finem atque initium Lucis exiguo diſcrimine internoſeas—Nec Solem occidere & exſurgere, ſed tranſire adfirmant. Tacit. Vit. Agri⯑colae Cap. 12 Sect. 5.’

The Seas indeed in theſe parts are ſubject to Storms, but nothing unuſual, or uncommon with the reſt of Brittain.

This is a Poetical Excurſion upon the extraordinary Improvement and Perfection which the World has attain'd in the practical part of Na⯑vigation.

Practicable Seas, made ſo by the Improvements of Navigation, and particularly the Extraordinary Methods of Building, as well as of Managing great Ships, ſitting them to bear the rougheſt Sea, and to ſail to the re⯑moteſt parts of the World.

Fraught with Native Gold, i. e. the Treaſure of the Fiſh, which is Gold efficiently, becauſe an immenſe Treaſure is drawn from it by all thoſe Nations that apply themſelves to that Trade.

That Cold which by the Ancients was thought intolerable and kept thoſe Seas for ſo many Ages impracticable, doubtleſs prevented the Diſco⯑very of the great Treaſure of the Fiſhery, was, not that their taking of them could have leſſened the Quantity; but without doubt Foreign Nations might have been prompted not to have fiſh'd here only, and in time have been too ſtrong to be diſplac'd, but perhaps have taken Poſſeſſion of the Land for the ſake of the Vaſt Trade: And ſo a more powerful Nation have diſpoſſeſt the Scots both of their Trade and their Country too.

Not our Experience only allows the Store to be unexhauſted, in that the Quantity is every Year renewed; but Authors tell us that even in their daily Fiſhing in one and the ſame place, when great Quantities are taken up, yet thoſe that remain, and may immediately be taken in the ſame place, ſeem not to be leſſened. ‘Minorum ad littora piſcium tanta benignita⯑te Dei Opt. Max. praeventus eſt, & quo major frumenti Caritas est, eo etiam uberior; ut cum uno quovis die ingentem vim abſtuleris, poſtridie illius Diei non minor codem in loco appareat. Hect. Boeth. Scot. Reg. Diſcriptio. p 8.’

Secret high Command. The wonderful Original and Cauſes of the Prodi⯑gious Quantity of Herring which appear in their exact Seaſons. Places and Quantities upon all the Coaſts of Scotland is the Occaſion of this Digreſ⯑ſion.

Ill accepted. It muſt be owned, Scotland has not given that full welcome to this Gift of Heaven, the Fiſh that Nature and Providence ſeem⯑ed to expect from them, for whoſe Benefit without Doubt they were ap⯑pointed.

Inſtinct is here repreſented as delivering a Meſſage in the Watry Audience, and making a Speech to the Fiſh, the Image, its hoped is not im⯑proper, nor is the Liberty taken at all unpoetical; ſo I make no excuſe for it, but think, that what we call Inſtinct, may ſerve to repreſent Nature in all the Creatures obeying their Times and Seaſons, exactly according to the great and juſt Law of Creation, and the Influence of Inviſible Providence.

Indeed 'tis ſtrange to think they ſhould let ſuch a Wealth paſs by them, and at the ſame time complain of Poverty.

Viſit no other Port, it is plain they are not found in any conſide⯑rable quantity in any Seas but theſe, and 'tis ſuppoſed they return to the Northward again, where the Prodigious Breed muſt increaſe ſufficiently to ſupply for the next Years Voyage.

Without queſtion they ſupply very much any Defect of Proviſions, which either by the Sterillity of the Countrey, or rather want of Improve⯑ment, that People may labour under.

Ganges and Nilus, one a River in India, the other in Egypt; The firſt famous for its rich Spices and Drugs, and the other for the Prolific Virtue of its Water, on the conſtant Regular Overflowings whereof, the Fruitfulneſs of the Land depends. Whence ſome tell us, The ſeven Years Famine in that Countrey in the Time of Joſeph was occaſion'd from the Nile's not over flowing its Banks during that Term.

Iſlands ſo call'd lying in the Gulph of Mexico, where the Pearl Fi⯑ſhing has been worth Immenſe Sums to the Spaeniard.

The Great Ocean on the Weſt-ſide of America, Vulgarly, Tho I think Improperly, call'd, The South Seas.

The Caribbees Iſlands, which, as now Improv'd by the Engliſh, are ſuppos'd to yield the greateſt Produce of any Spot of Ground in the World of equal Extent.

Guinea in Africk, and Chili in America, being the two principal places which ſupply the World with Gold.

Silver Mountains. The Mountains of Potoſi in the Country of Peru, thought by ſome to be all Silver, but without Queſtion, is the richeſt of that kind in the World. Golden Shores: Meaning the Rivers of Guinea, in the Sands of which is taken up the Gold Duſt, as it is waſh'd out of the Mountains by the Water.

Ʋnexhauſted Treaſure. The Fiſhery, and therefore very well propos'd to match the Treaſures before ſpoken of, not only in its Value, but in this Peculiar, That 'tis never exhauſted. Nor is it all the leſs for the Prodigious Quantities that are or might be Annually taken. Which ſome Authors have obſerv'd, That they were enough to ſubſiſt the whole Nation, if there were no other Proviſion. ‘Tanta Piſcium eſt Exundantia, cum ubique tum quo magis ad Septentrionem accedas, ut vel ii ſoli ſufficere poſſint ad paſtum Inſulae totius: Boeth. de Deſcrip. Reg. Scot’

The two extreme Parts of America, and almoſt both uninhabitably Cold, and to which Scotland being compared, may be ſtiled a hot Climate, as compar'd to Mexico and Peru, ſhe merits the Name of Cold.

A moſt ſavage People, that go naked, live on raw Fleſh, and are the moſt Brutal of any people in the World.

Campeche Indians are ſome of them the moſt Barbarous and Inhn⯑mane of any of the American Race, among whom have been found abſo⯑lute Cannibals, that devour one another

The Circaſſian Boors are a ſort of Tartars now under the Domini⯑on of the Czar of Muſcovy, very Cruel and Barbarous, and far worſe than the moſt was ever pretended of the wild Iriſh or any ſort of People in theſe parts of the World.

I take the Highland Plaid, or the Dreſs of theſe Highland-men, to be the Remain of the Mantle of the Ancient Goths, and the ſame thing, applyed to the ſame Uſes of the—of the Moors of Africk, ſince both People uſe it to cover them in the Night, and therefore make no Scruple to carry it by Day in the hoteſt Weather.

The Racking the Tennant, is not only a ſuppreſſing of the Poor, and diſcouraging of his Induſtry, but an Error in the Landlord himſelf as to his own Intereſt, preventing the Improvement of his Land, and diſ⯑abling him from doing abundance of things, which would in the End be his own Advantage: And tho' abateing this might in ſome meaſure leſſen the immediate Income; yet would certainly in Time, turn to the Advan⯑tage of the Family, as well as the Encouragement of the People.

'Ts impoſſible the Farmer in Scotland can ever grow Rich, while the Rent of his Farm amounts within a ſmall matter to the Extent of the Product, and while if a ſcarce Year comes, he is intirely Ruined; whereas if a good Year comes, he either enjoys not the Benefit, or does not enjoy it long; it being in his Landlords Power, upon all Occaſions, to raiſe his Demands.

Little Chiefs, The Author is here willing to ſuppoſe that generally ſpeaking, no Landlords, but ſuch as are of ſmall Eſtates, would thus diſ⯑regard their own Intereſt, or continue the Oppreſſions of the Poor, Their Neceſſities not permitting 'em to be more Generous.

At the Battle of Leipſick, the Scots were the firſt that were ever ſeen to fire with their Ranks clos'd foreward, and their Pieces over one another's Shoulders, or as we call it, kneel, ſtoop, and ſtand, which was ſuch a Sur⯑prize to the Germans, pouring in ſuch a Quantity of Lead upon them toge⯑ther, that they could not ſtand it, which the King of Sweden own'd, was the great Occaſion of the Victory, and practiz'd it afterwards among all his Troops.

The Scots Officers have all along been the Inſtructors of the Muſcovites, and if they are the worſt Soldiers in Europe, it has not been for want of good Maſters but by being dull Scholars, tho ſomething may be aſcrib'd to the Conſtitution of their Country, arming only the Boors, and not entertaining 'em as Soldiers, but demitting 'em after the Occaſion, to their Imployments again, which Method the preſent Czar having alter'd, the Ruſſians to Eu⯑rope's Coſt, are not unlikely to ſhow the World they have been very well taught.

The Pride and Haughtineſs of the Pole has made him diſdain to be Inſtructed, and conſequently their Foot (eſpecially) are good for nothing in the Field.

Particularly famous for the great Battle between the Imperialiſts and the Swedes, the 3d. of September, Anno—and afterwards for being the occaſion of the great Battle at Lutzen, where the King of Sweden was ſlain, having made a long March to relieve this City then beſieg'd by the Impertialiſts: But coming to late, he attack'd their Army, and over⯑threw 'em, but loſt his Life.

The Fnland Horſe in the Swediſh Army grew a Terror to the Ger⯑mans by their Extraordinary Bravery and Diſcipline.

The Scots at the Battle of Leipſick were very ill clothed, and had complain'd of it to their Officers, who had often promis'd 'em a Supply, and being juſt entring into the Battle, Sir John Hepburn, who commanded 'em, pointing to the Imperial Army, Jeſtingly told them, Their Clothes were come,

Tilly had brought 'em en purpoſe for 'em, and if they would have 'em, they muſt fight for 'em.

Tilly had juſt taken Magdeburgh by Storm, and in a terrible manner ſacked and deſtroy'd the Town, put Seventeen thouſand People to the Sword, Men, Women and Children, and aftewards burnt the whole City to Aſhes, and made himſelf Terrible to all the Proteſtants in Europe.

The Duke of Saxony's Troops formed the Left of the Swediſh Army the King of Sweden having the Right: upon the firſt Charge, the Right of the Imperialiſts broke the Saxons, and drove 'em quite out of the Field, killing between two and three Thouſand upon the Spot; and had not the Scots interpos'd, they had been all cut to pieces.

The Scots being about twelve Battallions of Foot, joyn'd with ſome Dragoons, made the ſecond Line of the Swediſh Army; and finding how Matters went with the Saxons on their Flank, they immediately wheel'd to the Left, and joyning a Brigade of Foot of the Saxons, not yet broken, they fell in upon the purſuing Imperialiſts, and by their ex⯑traordinary Fury, turn'd the Fortune of the Day.

The Imperial Dragoons being recalled from the Purſuit of the Sax⯑ons, and being Superiour in Number, ſurrounded the Scots, falling in upon their Flank, which making them Deſperate, they fought like Mad men, and made a terrible ſlaughter of the Enemy.

In the Fury o [...] this Fight, the Scots threw off their Cloaths and fought in their Shirts; the Novelty of which ſtruck a ſtrange Terror into their Enemies, and convinced 'em, that deſpiſing all Danger, theſe were reſolv'd to Conquer.

The King of Sweden hearing of the Diſtreſs the Scots were in, came in Perſon with a Body of Horſe and Dragoons to their Relief, Charg'd the Imperial Dragoons who had engag'd their Flank, and ſoon clear'd 'em of that Incumbrance. But ſeing how bravely they fought, and that there was no Danger on that Side, he call'd out Laughing to Sir John Hepburn, Al I EGREMENT, which is as much as to ſay in Engliſh, Bravely done Boys; and went back to his own Forces, where he ſoon overthrew the Im⯑perialiſts, and compleated the Victory.

Both the King of Sweden and the Elector of Saxony, publickly Com⯑plemented Sir John Hepburn, and the reſt of the Scots Collonels upon the Occaſion; and own'd the Victory to be very much owing to their extra⯑ordinary Behaviour.

In two Years and three Quarters, they Over-run two third Parts of the Empire, and were poſſes'd of the whole Countrey from Wolfenbuttle in Weſtphalia, where Duke Hamilton with another Body of Scots acted, to Prague in Bohemia; and had the King of Sweden Out-lived the Battle of Lutzen, he had bid fair to have taken Winter Quarters at Vienna.

To growing France. The Scots Regiments under the Viſcount de Turenn, and particularly Douglaſs's Regiment, conſiſting then of 4 or 5000 Men, were the Flower of his Infantry, and help'd to make France Terrible; as at that time She was to all her Neighbours.

Williams Sword. The Scots were Recall'd out of the French Service by King Charles the ſecond, at the Inſtance of his Parliament, ſoon after the Marriage of the late King William then Prince of Orange, with the Princeſs Mary, a little before the Peace of Nimeguen, and Ordered to joyn the Prince of Orange's Army in Flanders.

Want of Pay, When the Scots were Recall'd from the King of France's Service, they were very ill treated, carried to the Remoteſt Parts of France, and there Diſmis'd with but very little Money, ordered to Travel but two or three together, the Countrey order'd not to Truſt them; and every where great Rewards offer'd 'em to Liſt, on purpoſe to force 'em unto their Service; by which means very few of that great Body reach'd Home, but they that did, Vow'd to be reveng'd of the French if ever they came to hands with them, which they made good at the Battel of Mons.

Luxemberg himſelf, The Duke of Luxemberg Commanding the French Army at Mons, Placing ſome of his beſt Infantry at a Poſt where he ex⯑pected the Prince; told ſome of his Officers, that if the Prince of Orange ventur'd to Attack him there, he was ſure it muſt be with the Scots Re⯑giments; intimating that they were the fitteſt Troops he had for ſo deſpe⯑rate a Work.

Turenn lay dead. When Turenn was kill'd, the Scots Brigade ſtood the ſhock of the firſt Line of the German Army, with ſo much Re⯑ſolution, that very much Recover'd the French out of the Surprize they were under for the Loſs of their General.

Durst not lead! 'Twas Luxemberg's Poſt that Day, to have been with the advanc'd Troops, amongſt which the Scots were poſted; but he thought fit to get himſelf imploy'd elſewhere, which ſome ſaid, was ta⯑ken notice of in the Army, as if he thought the Service too Hot for him.

Wiſe D. Lorge▪ who took upon him the Command of the Army at the Death of Turenn, obtain'd great Reputation by retreating the Army to an advantagious Poſt, while the extraordinary Bravery of the Scots, kept the whole German Army in play.

Leſly. This was, Old Leſly, General of the Imperial Forces, and made Ban or Governour of Croatia by the Emperor, the ſame that burnt the Bridge of Eſſeck, and tho near 80 Years of Age, and tortur'd with the Gout, yet perform'd a great many deſperate Services againſt the Turks during that War, and ſome of them in the Depth of Winter.

Satyr's interrupting. 'Tis hop'd no Gentleman in Scotland will take this for a perſonal Satyr; but as I take Volunteering to be a Vice in War, as 'tis now practiz'd, where Men fit to lead Armies, ſerve as private Cen⯑tinels, the Author hopes he may be excus'd in condemning the Practice as an Injury to their Native Countrey.

Foſter hang'd himſelf. A fooliſh Fellow in England, who often talk'd of hanging himſelf, that he might have a fine Funeral, and at laſt did it, but whether upon that account or no, is not very certain.

Hepburn Storm'd before. The Scots in the King of Swedens Army beat John de Werth the Bavarian General, out of his Intrenchments at Schel⯑lembergh, where they had poſted themſelves almoſt upon the ſame Ground where the French and Bavarians were now Poſted. Here Ramſey, and Rea, two Collonels of the Scots, according to the uſual and particular Bravery of theſe two Ancient Families, entred the Intrenchments Sword in Hand, with a very great ſlaughter of the Enemy.

Guſtavus ſaw. The Bavarians Complemented Guſtavus Adolphus, on the taking the Intrenchments at Schellemberg, as a thing they thought im⯑practicable; and the People of the Danawert ſay, it has been thirteen times Attack'd, and never was taken till then; which I take to be an equal Honour to the Scots Troops under the Duke of Marlborough, as to their Anceſtors under the King of Sweden, theſe having a great ſhare in the late Attack under the Command of Lord Orkney, as the other had under Col⯑lonel Hepburn.

Kings. Alluding here to the ancient Figure, in which the Iſle of Britain is generally ſuppoſed to be, when every Nobleman was a Sovereign upon his own Eſtate, ſome Marks of which Sovereignty are yet remain⯑ing, and within few Years paſt, were very viſible in ſeveral of the Noble Families of Scotland, particularly in the Family of Douglaſs, who Purſued, fought, took Priſoner of War Sir William Hairis of Terriglis, for having withdrawn himſelf from his Vaſſalage or Dependence, & eſteeming him as his own Servant, taken in Arms, where his Juriſdiction or Regality extended, up⯑on his own Authority put him to Death. Godſcroſs's Hiſtory of the Houſe of Douglaſs page 187. The ſame Earl of Douglaſs executed Juſtice upon Macklalane Tutor of Bumbee, Chief of his Name, & one of the Principal Houſes in Galloway for Murdering one of his Servants, King James himſelf inter⯑ceeded for him in vain.

Leſſer Praiſe. I know this word is objected againſt as ungramma⯑tical, and therefore by ſome very carefully avoided in Verſe, and by others, perhaps, too critically Cenſur'd; but as I have very good Authority for the word, I venture the Indignation of the Criticks, and anticipate their Obſer⯑vations, by referring them to the following Examples, [...] prior [...] minor [...], Which in Engliſh cannot be expreſs'd by any other Word than what I here make uſe of, LESSER, which is form'd from the Comparative Leſs, exactly after the ſame manner.

'Tis hop'd the Gentlemen whoſe Names are included in theſe Lines, will not ſind Fault with the Author for not obſerving Preceedency either in Dignity or Antiquity, the neceſſity of Rhime, Meaſure and Cadence being his juſt Excuſe, and which he deſires them to accept in that particular.

Record. Here I make no queſtion but to be animadverted upon for my different way of expreſſing the word Record, and changing the Quantity, making the Vowel long in the laſt Syllable of the firſt, and ſhort in the laſt Syllable of the ſecond. But for this, I have ſo good an Authority, that all Men will allow it ſufficient to juſtifie me; being from ſuch a Maſter of the Language as Buchannan himſelf, as follows. ‘Dies tenētbras & tenebrae Dient,’ Buch. Pſ. 19. ver. 2. l. 1. Which being the Verſe call'd Dactilicus alchaicus, the ſecond Foot is always Jambus, and the third and fourth Dactyli.

Fam'd Scoti. The Author of the Hiſtory of the Houſe of Douglaſs, tells us, That William Douglaſs, Grandchild to Sholto Douglaſs, was the Father of the Noble Family of the Scoti at Placenza in Italy. Fol. 5. And ſome ſay, That by a Marriage between a Branch of the ſaid Family of Scoti, and ſome of the Ancient Line of the Houſe of Mar in Scotland, was the O⯑riginal of the Family of Marr-e-Scoti, a great and flouriſhing Family in Italy to this day.

Titles from France. The anceſtors of this Noble Family obtain'd the Title of Duke of Chateas Reault in France; and by which Title they were known in Scotland, at the time of the Reformation.

Set by Zeal. Alluding to the Cuſtom of Planting Rue and Sage together, which whether it be a vulgar Error or no, is, that the Rue is ſuppoſed to be effectual to keep Toads, and Venemous Creatures from the Sage.

Prov. The Sluggard would not pull his Hand out of his Boſom to put it to his Mouth.