Part 2

But the most detailed notice of the dress worn by the inhabitants of the Highlands and Islands in the sixteenth century is to be found in a work by John Leslie, Bishop of Ross, the devoted adherent of Mary Queen of Scots, originally published in Rome in 1578. From his conspicuous position, alike as historian and as statesman, his notes on the apparel of the men and women of his age are highly important. It appears that the belted plaid had become the wear of both rich and poor, through the extended manufacture of woollen fabrics and the increased prosperity of the people. He writes:—

In weiris quhen thay yokit the aduersar, thay invadet athir with ane arrow or a lance. Thay vsed ane twa edged sword lykwyse; the futmen a lang sword, the horsmen a schort sword bot baith vset a verie braid sword, with a scheiring sharpe edge that at the first straik, with little force, it walde scheir a man in twa in the waste or midle. Thay war harnest with Jacks al wouen throuch with yrne huikes, quhilkes habbirgeounis thay cal: This vpon, or as we say, abone a lathir cote, quhilke was na les stark than it was elegant, thay put on. Al thair harnesse was lycht, that gif thay fel in ony danger, the lychtlier thay mycht slip out of the handes of thair ennimies: for in swiftnes of fute, in quhilke thay walde ouirrin the swoftest horse, quhither the way war lang and plane, or gif it war cumirsum throuch hilis or hopes, in sik swoftnes, I say, thay obteined gret prais, athir quhen the ennimie flies to follow, or quhen the ennimie persues to flie, and gif mister be to declyne from perrel.... Thair cleithing was til necessitie, and nocht till decore, maist conuenient ay to the weiris; for thay al vset mantilis of ane forme, baith the Nobilitie and the commone people, excepte that the Nobilitie delyted mair in coloured claith and sindrie hewis, and thir mantilis war baith wyd and lang, notwithstandeng about the bosum, quhair thay walde decentlie losin. I can weil think thir same to be the kynd of cleithing quhilke in ald times in latin war called Brachæ. In thir only mantilis in the nyt seasone, thay rowit thame selfes, and in thame sleipit sound: this was thair maner, and this day the hilande men, and thay of Irland weiris even siklyke, bot now thay use ruch couirings, ane sorte to thair bed, another sorte to the Jornay conuenient. The rest of thair claithis, was a schorte cote of woll, with wyde and apne sleiues that the radier quhen thay walde thay myt schote or caste a darte, or ane arrow, breickis thay had verie slichte, and indeid mair to hyd thair memberis than for ony pompe or pryd, or to defend thame frome the calde was meit. Of linnine lykwyse thay maid wyd sarkis, with mony bosumis, and wide sleifes of negligence hinging doune evin to thair knies. Thir sarkis the mair potent amang thame vset to smeir with saffronne, bot vthiris with a certane fatnes, and this thay did to keip thame cleine frome al filthines. Nathing thay thocht worthier of counsel than to exercise thame selfes continuallie in the sueit of the Barresse, or in siklyke ane exercise. In makeng thame, appeirit na kair or trauel neglected athir in arte or decore: as with threid of silke, cheiflie greine, or rid, al the partes of the sarke maist artificiouslie thay sewit.

Bot the cleithing of the women with thame was maist decent. For thair cotes war syd evin to the hanckleth, wyd mantilis abone, or playdes all embroudiret artificiouslie; bracelets about thair armes, iewalis about thair neck, broches hinging at thair halse, baith cumlie and decent, and mekle to thair decore and outsett.[19]

The editor in his notes to Book I. observes:—

The Latin _braccæ_ is generally understood to be equivalent to our _breeks_. There are, however, traces of the Latin word being used in a wider sense to mean a loose flowing garment. Bishop Leslie here applies it to the plaid or tartan, and, as it would seem, on the ground of the variegated colours expressed by the Gaelic _breac_. This is felt even in the use of the Latin word. We find _braccæ_ described as _pictæ_ and _virgatæ_, coloured and striped. Perhaps the original _braccæ_, which so took the attention of the Romans when they met the Gauls, were striped and parti-coloured, and so gave rise to the name. In Irish _breacan_ still means a plaid. It would seem, then, that the Latin word is borrowed from Celtic. The modern word _breeks_ or _breeches_ is a double plural, and stands for _brec_, plural of Anglo-Saxon _broc_. This last reminds us of Celtic _brog_, a shoe. _Broc_ can hardly be derived from either _breac_ or _brog_, for we find corresponding forms in all the Teutonic dialects. Neither can _broc_ mean speckled, for we have _freck_, _freckle_, to represent _breac_. The Teutonic words, together with _brog_, may thus be cognate terms expressing the sense of _cover_ or _protect_, perhaps allied to Anglo-Saxon _beorgan_. Comp. _bark_, the covering of a tree. _Brock_ in modern English and Scots means a badger; but this is clearly the Gaelic _broc_. The animal was so named from its colour—pie or speckle.[20]

It has been held that this particular account, while establishing the use of tartans by the chiefs or nobles, proves them to have been by no means common wear. But, taken in conjunction with the writings of Buchanan, a few years later, the interpretation seems to be that, while the leaders preferred the more brilliantly coloured patterns, the rank and file had quieter designs, at once more economical and more serviceable.

George Buchanan in his _History_, published in 1582, furnishes a detailed account of the dress and arms of the Highlanders. He writes:—

They delight in variegated garments, especially stripped, and their favourite colours are purple and blue. Their ancestors wore plaids of many different colours, and numbers still retain this custom, but the majority, now, in their dress, prefer a dark brown, imitating nearly the leaves of the heather, that when lying upon the heath in the day, they may not be discovered by the appearance of their clothes; in these, wrapped rather than covered, they brave the severest storms in the open air, and sometimes lay themselves down to sleep even in the midst of snow. In their houses, also, they lie upon the ground; strewing fern, or heath, on the floor, with the roots downward and the leaves turned up. In this manner they form a bed so pleasant, that it may vie in softness with the finest down, while in salubrity it far exceeds it; for heath, naturally possessing the power of absorption, drinks up the superfluous moisture, and restores strength to the fatigued nerves, so that those who lie down languid and weary in the evening, arise in the morning vigorous and sprightly. They have all, not only the greatest contempt for pillows, or blankets, but, in general, an affectation of uncultivated roughness, and hardihood, so that when choice, or necessity induces them to travel in other countries, they throw aside the pillows, and blankets of their hosts, and wrapping themselves round with their own plaids, thus go to sleep, afraid lest these barbarian luxuries, as they term them, should contaminate their native simple hardiness. Their defensive armour consists of an iron headpiece and a coat of mail, formed of small iron rings, and frequently reaching to the heels. Their weapons are, for the most part, a bow, and arrows barbed with iron, which cannot be extracted without widely enlarging the orifice of the wound; but a few carry swords or Lochaber axes. Instead of a trumpet they use a bagpipe. They are exceedingly fond of music, and employ harps of a peculiar kind, some of which are strung with brass, and some with catgut. In playing they strike the wires either with a quill, or with their nails, suffered to grow long for the purpose; but their grand ambition is to adorn their harps with great quantities of silver and gems, those who are too poor to afford jewels substituting crystals in their stead. Their songs are not inelegant, and, in general, celebrate the praises of brave men; their bards seldom choosing any other subject.[21]

In the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland for the year 1575 the following ordinance against the use of sumptuous clothing by Ministers and Readers of the Church is recorded:—

The Generall Assembly haldin and begun the 6 day of August 1575, in the Ovir Tolbuith of Edenburgh: wher ther was present the Bischops of Galloway, Dunkeld, Brechine, Dumblane, Glasgow, and the Bischop of the Yles, Superintendents of Angus and Lowthiane, Commissioners of Countreyes and Townes, with the Ministers. Mr Robert Pont (Provest of Trinity College), Moderatour.

* * * * *

The brether appointit to pen thair judgement anent the habite of the Ministers and thair wyfes, presentit the same to the Assemblie, quhilk was found good; and all the brether serving the functioun of the Kirk, ordaynes to conforme themselves and thair wyves therto, and ordainit effectuouslie to follow the same: Quherof the tenor followes in thir wordes.

Forsameikle as a comely and decent apparrell is requisite in all, namelie in the Ministers and sick as beares functioun in the Kirk: First we think all kynd of brodering vnseimlie, all bagaries of velvett on gownes, hoses, or coat, and all superfluous and vaine cutting out, steiking with silks; all kynd of costlie sewing on pasments, or sumptuous or large steiking with silks; all kynd of costlie sewing or variant hews in sarks, all kynd of light and variant hewes in cloathing, as red, blew, yellow, and sicklyke, quhilk declares the lightnes of the mynd; all wearing of rings, bracelets, buttons of silver, gold, or vther mettall; all kynd of superfluitie of cloath in makeing of hose; all vsing of plaids in the Kirk be Reidars or Ministers, namelie in tyme of thair ministry and vsing thair office: all kynd of gowning, coating or doubliting, or breiches of velvett, satine, taffettie, or sicklyke; all costlie gilting of whingers and knyves, or sicklyke; all silk hatts, or hatts of divers and light collours: Bot that thair haill habite be of grave collour, as black, russet, sad gray, sad broune or searges, wirssett chamlet, growgrame lytes wirssett, or sicklyke: and to be short, that the good word of God be them and thair immoderatenes be not slanderit; and thair wifes to be subiect to the same ordour.[22]

The Council Register of the Burgh of Aberdeen contains entries prohibiting the use of plaids, which appear to have attained considerable vogue in a district by no means Highland; and the reason annexed to the second of these seems to indicate a praiseworthy courtesy on the part of the city fathers:—

_5th October 1576._—It is statut and ordanit be the provest, baillies, consell, witht consent of the communitie present for the tyme, being conuenit on the gill court day, and that na burges of gild nor dekin of craft quhatsumeuir withtin this burght, be fund werand ane plaid fra the feist of Sanct Martein nixt to cum in ony time thairefter withtin the burtht, under the pain of fourtie s. to be uptakin onforgewin fra the persouns apprehendit wering the said plaid efter the forsaid feist of Sanct Martein, and the plaid to be gewin to the hospitall to thair support, that ar pleset thairin.

_6th June 1621._—The said day the prowest, baillies, and counsall considdering the inciuill forme of behaweour of a great manye wemen in this burght, of gude qualitie, quha resortis both to kirk and mercat with thair playddis about thair headis, and be thair exampill the meaner sort of wemen vses the samen forme of incivilitie, quhilk gewis offence to strangeris and occasioun to thame to speik reprochefullie of all wemen generallie within this burght; for remeid quharof, it is statute and ordanit that na wemen within this burght of quhatsumeuir rank, qualitie, or degrie they be of, presvme or tak vpon hand to resort to kirk or mercat with thair playddis about their heidis, vnder the paines following, to be exactit of the contravenar without fauour, _toties quoties_: viz. xiii. sh. iiij. d. of the wyiff of ilk burges of gild, and sex sh. aucht d. of ilk craftisman, and this act to be intimat out of the pulpit of baith the kirkis on Sonday nixt, and thaireftir to hawe effect and executioun in tyme comeing.[23]

In view of what the old writers point out, that the early dress of the Irish people bore a close resemblance to that of the Scottish Highlanders, the description given by John Derricke in 1581 is valuable as attesting the prevalence in his time of the two forms of the dress—the kilt and the trews. It runs thus:—

THE IRISHE KARNES APPARELL MOSTE LIUELY SET OUT.

With Jackettes long and large, which shroude simplicitie: Though spitfull dartes which thei do beare importe iniquitie. Their Shirts be verie straunge, not reachyng paste the thie: With pleates on pleates thei pleated are, as thicke as pleates maie lye. Whose sleues hang trailing doune almoste unto the Shoe:

And with a Mantell commonilie, the Irishe Karne doe goe. Now some emongest the reste, doe use an other weede: A coate I meane of strange device, whiche fancie first did breede. His skirtes be verie shorte, with pleates set thicke about, And Irishe trouzes more to put their straunge protractours out.[24]

Sir Walter Scott, writing of the verse, makes this comment:—

This second sort of dress, namely, a short woollen jacket, with plaited skirts, and long trowsers, made tight to the body, and chequered with various colours, was precisely that of a Highland gentleman, the plaid coming in place of the mantle.[25]

Of the dress and arms of the Highlanders at the close of the sixteenth century some details are furnished by M. Nicolay d’Arfeville, Cosmographer to the King of France, in an account of a visit to Scotland, published at Paris in 1583. The following is a translation of a portion of his description:—

Those who inhabit Scotland to the south of the Grampian chain, are tolerably civilized and obedient to the laws, and speak the English language; but those who inhabit the north are more rude, homely, and unruly, and for this reason are called savages [or Wild Scots.] They wear, like the Irish, a large and full shirt, coloured with saffron, and over this a garment hanging to the knee, of thick wool, after the manner of a cassock. They go with bare heads, and allow their hair to grow very long, and they wear neither stockings nor shoes, except some who have buskins made in a very old fashion, which come as high as their knees.

Their arms are the bow and arrow, and some darts, which they throw with great dexterity, and a large sword, with a single-edged dagger. They are very swift of foot, and there is no horse so swift as to outstrip them, as I have seen proved several times, both in England and Scotland.[26]

One of the most striking and specific references to tartan is to be found in the year 1587, and it occurs in connection with the lands of Norraboll, in the island of Islay. In the Crown charter of Novodamus, dated 19th March 1587-8, granted to Hector Makclene, son and heir-apparent of Lauchlan Makclene of Dowart, the feu-duty for these lands is specified as:-

Pro Nerrabollsadh 60 ulnas panni, albi, nigri, et grosei coloris respective, et ulnam panni in augmentationem rentalis (vel 8 den pro qualibet ulna).[27]

John Sobieski Stuart, who first drew attention to this entry,[28] quotes the word “grosei” as “grisei,” and adds “in this enumeration there appears a slight error, from a presumption that the third colour should have been green. The word undoubtedly in each case is “grosei,” and is so printed in the Record Issue. What was meant by “grosei” we learn from two sources. In the signature upon which the Crown charter above quoted proceeds, the lands and the feu-duty exigible are thus described:—

All and haill the foirnamit fyve merk landis of Nerrabolsadh with the pertinentis the sowme of lx ellis claith quhite blak and grene cullouris respective or viii^d vsuall money of this realme for ilk ell at the optioun of the said Hector and his foirsaidis at the termes foirsaidis be equal portiounis and ane el claith or viii^d for the price thereof in augmentation of the rentale mair nor euir the same payit of befor.[29]

These lands formerly belonged to the “Abbot of the Isle of Iona.” They were annexed to the Crown at the period of the alteration of the State religion in Scotland in the sixteenth century, and feued out to Makclene of Dowart on the conditions referred to, and they appear in the Register of Temporalities belonging to the Crown in this form:—

Charge. Argile and Tarbart. Item, the comptar charges him with the fewmaillis of the fyve merk lands of Narraboll liand within the said shirefdome set in few to Hector M^cClane of Dowart extending yeirlie in claith of quhite blak and grene cullouris respective to lx elnis. The eln sauld be infeftment at viii^d with the new augmentation of the same extending to 1 eln of clayth sauld as said is Inde the yeir comptit in money to xls. viiid.[30]

John Sobieski Stuart’s transcriber had failed to give him the full reference by omitting the words “et ulnam panni in augmentationem rentalis,” which, taken in connection with the two contemporary vernacular readings above given, settles that the cloth was not to be of three separate pieces, each of an individual colour, but cloth in which the dyes specified were interwoven.

But more remains to be said about this remarkable feu-duty. About 1617 Makclene of Dowart appears to have got into difficulties. At all events, in that year a Crown charter of the lands was granted to Rorie M’Kenzie of Cogeauche. The reddendo is identical with that in the charter of 1587-8 already quoted, but the signature is in these words:—

And lykewise for the foirsaid fyve merk land of Narrobolsydh with the pertinentis thriescoir ellis of quhyte blak and gray claith respective or viii^d money foirsaid for euerie elne in the optioun of the said Rory M^cKenzie his airis maill and assignais foirsaidis at the termes abone specifiet be equall portiones as the auld meill. And lykewise ane elne of claith or aucht penneis for the price thairof in yeirlie augmentatioun of the rentall gif it beis askit.[31]

When the lands were restored in 1630 to Makclene of Dowart, while the Latin charter remains unchanged, the signature is in these words:—

For the foirsaid fyve merk land of Morrabulsadtir with the pertinentis, thriescore elnis of claith quhyte blak and gras cullour respective or aucht penneis vsuell money of the said realme of Scotland for ilk elne at the will of the said Lauchlane his aires male and assignais foirsaidis at twa termes in the yeare Witsounday and Mertinmas in winter be equall portiounis as the auld fewferme. Ane elne of claith or aucht penneis for the price thereof in augmentatioun of the yeirlie rent gif it beis askit.[32]

The explanation is simple enough. White and black and green are the only colours in the oldest authenticated Mac Lean tartan.

The evidence of all accounts of the costume of the people inhabiting the northern and western portions of Scotland in the sixteenth century attests the use of the yellow saffron-dyed shirt, and the cloak, cassock or plaid, reaching to about the knee, as the ordinary dress. A reference to a yellow coat, which appears to have been a garment distinct from the yellow shirt, is found at this period. It occurs in a _History of the Gordons_, preserved in the Advocates’ Library, which states that in 1590:—

Angus, the son of Lachlan, chiefe of the Clanchattan, with a great party attempts to surpryze the Castle of Ruthven in Badenoch, belonging to Huntly, in which there was but a small garrison; but finding this attempt could neither by force nor fraude have successe, he retires a little to consult how to compasse his intent. In the meanetyme, one creeps out under the shelter of some old ruines, and levells with his piece at one of the Clanchattan cloathed in a yellow warr coat (which, amongst them, is the badge of the cheifetaines or heads of clans). And, peircing his body with the bullet, stricks him to the ground, and retires with gladness into the castle. The man killed was Angus himselfe, whom his people carry away, and conceill his death for many years, pretending he was gone beyond seas.[33]

On account of the proximity of the Western Isles of Scotland to the northern portions of Ireland there was frequent intercourse between the inhabitants, and aid in seasons of disturbance was a mutual courtesy. During the last years of the sixteenth century the Red Earl of Ulster, Hugh O’Donnell, was in arms against the English Crown; and in 1594 a body of warriors was despatched from the Western Isles to his assistance. Peregrine O’Clery’s description of these troops, as translated from the Irish by Edward O’Reilly, is as follows:—

These (the auxiliaries from the isles) were afterwards mixed with the Irish militia, with the diversity of their arms, their armour, their mode, manners, and speech. The outward clothing they wore was a mottled garment with numerous colours hanging in folds to the calf of the leg, with a girdle round the loins over the garment. Some of them with horn-hafted swords, large and military, over their shoulders. A man when he had to strike with them was obliged to apply both his hands to the haft. Others with bows, well polished, strong and serviceable, with long twanging hempen strings, and sharp-pointed arrows that whizzed in their flight.[34]

The tartan belted plaid is undoubtedly here described, since no other garment could have been so disposed as to afford the requisite protection.

In 1596 Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenvrquhay granted in heritage to his third son,

John Campbell of Auchinryre, the lands of Auchynrere, Drumnavoke, and Condolych, respectively of the old extent of six, four, and two marks, for the yearly payment of £10 Scots at the usual terms, and one gallon of sufficient aquavite “et optimam chlamidem coloratam, vulgo ane fyne hewed brakane” [_i.e._, breacan or tartan plaid] at Martinmas.[35]

In connection with the plantation of Ulster by Scots colonists towards the end of the sixteenth century, there is evidence that tartan was manufactured in Ireland at that period. Concerning Lady Montgomery, wife of Sir Hugh Montgomery of the Eglinton family, who was a daughter of the Laird of Greenock, we read:—

She set up and encouraged linen and woollen manufactory which soon brought down the prices of the breakens [_i.e._, tartans] and narrow cloths of both sorts.[36]

Of seventeenth century writings one of the earliest to provide a notice of the Highland dress is _Camden’s Britannia_, printed in 1607, which mentions that:-

This country is inhabited by a rough, warlike, and very mischievous sort of people, commonly called Highlandmen, who are the true offspring of the ancient Scotch, speak Irish, call themselves Albinnich, are set and tight moulded, of great strength and swiftness, high spirited, bred up in war or rather robbery, and extremely prone to revenge and deep resentment. They wear after the Irish fashion striped mantles and thick long hair, and live by hunting, fishing, and plunder.[37]

Doubtless there was greater intercourse between the English and their conquered dependants in Ireland than between the English and the Scots, and hence the dress in Ireland ranks before that in Scotland in the comparison instituted by the writer.