THE

HISTORY

OF THE

PROVINCE OF MORAY.

INTRODUCTION.

IN vain shall one expect to find a rational account of the ancient state of SCOTLAND OR NORTH BRITAIN, unless he consult the Roman writers. GEOFFRY of Monmouth will have North Britain called Albania, from Albanactus son of Brutus, the grandson of Æneas the Trojan. And HECTOR BOECE calleth the same country Scotia from SCOTA, the daughter of one the Pharaohs kings of Egypt. These, and the like, are fables, below the dignity of History, and fit only for venal bards.

In describing the ancient state of the Southern provinces of this kingdom, the Roman writers are sure guides, that may be relied on. TACITUS'S account of the expeditions of Julius Agricola, Herodian, Dion Cassius, Ammianus Marcellinus, Claudian, and others, throw much light upon our history, give an account of the actions of the Romans in Britain during 400 years, describe their colonies, forts, camps, prætentures, naval stations and military ways; and give some account of the natives, with whom the Romans had any intercourse, and whom they call in general, Britanni, Britones, and Caledonii ; and more particularly, Scoti, Picti, Altacoti, Vecturiones, Dicalidones, Vacomagi, Ladeni, &c. But it was the misfortune of the Northern parts of Scotland, that the Romans (from Julius Cæsar's

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first descent into Britain, to about A. D. 426 that they abandoned the Island,) never, that I have found, penetrated into them, excepting once in the reign of the Emperor Septimus Severus, in the beginning of the third Century, of whom Xiphilinus writeth, that he marched into the northmost extremity of the Island. "Ingressus "est in Caledoniam, eamque dum pertransiret, habuit maxima negotia, quod sylvas cæderet, et loca alta perfoderet, quodque paludes obruerit aggere, et pontes in fluminibus faceret: Nec ab inceptis 'desiit, quousque ad extremam partem insulæ venit; ubi diversum, quam apud nos sit, cursum solis, itemque noctium et dierum, tam "æstivorum quam hybernorum, magnitudinem diligentissime cog"novit." * In this expedition, Severus lost 50,000 of his army, without once fighting the Caledonians, being overcome by cold, hunger, and fatigue: And after him, no Roman marched so far into the North.

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I have said, it was the misfortune of the Northern Countries, that the ROMANS were so little acquainted with them: for, where-ever they settled, they softened the rough temper, and civilized the rude manners of the natives. They introduced letters, arts, and sciences. They taught agriculture, and laid the foundation of cities and towns, navigation and commerce. Hence the many towns and villages, on both sides of the Frith of Forth, had their rise from the Roman colonies, forts, and naval stations: And the foundation of the culture and fertility of the Lothians, was laid by their industry: While the Western coast, from the Clyde Northward, into which the Romans never entered, (though better furnished by nature with bays, harbours, and creeks) remained long uncivilized, without towns, trade,

or commerce.

• He invaded Caledonia, and in his progress endured the heaviest labour, in cutting his passage through woods, levelling obstructions. in raising mounds through marshes; and in making bridges on rivers.--He relinquished not his undertaking until he came to the farthest end of the Island, where he most studiously remarked the difference in the course of the sun, and the greater length both of the summer days, and of the winter nights, than it is with us.

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It is true, Julius Agricola sent a fleet of ships to sail round the Island, of which TACITUS says, "Hanc oram novissimi maris tunc 'primum Romana classis circumvecta, insulam esse Britaniam af"firmavit, ac simul incognitas ad id tempus insulas, quas Orcades "vocant, invenit, domuitque; dispecta est et Thyle." * To this navigation, I question not, we owe the Geographical Tables of Ptolemy in the second century: Which Tables, as Gerard Mercator observeth, are pretty exact, if what he placeth towards the East is turned to the North. In their descents, the captains of these ships described the coasts, discovered the people inhabiting them, and gave them the names we have in Ptolemy's Tables: Not new Latin names, (the. Romans seldom, if ever, gave such to any place or people they discovered or conquered) but the names the natives gave them in their own language, and to which these sailors, or perhaps Ptolemy, gave a new termination, and softened some British words, by the change of one or more letters. Such names are, Vernicones, or the inhabitants of the Merns; Morini, of Mar; Tazali, of Buchan; Cantini, of Ross; Cantæ, of Caithness; Cornavii, of Strathnaver; and Estuarium Vararis, the Frith of Moray. All these are British words, with Latin inflexions: and let me add, that, as these navigators could only discover the coasts, so Ptolemy only describeth the coasts, and not the inland parts.

In the middle ages of our nation, we have mention, and little more than mention, of Moray and the inhabitants thereof. A Manuscript De Situ Albaniæ, (a trifling performance in the twelfth century) speaking of the ancient division of Albania into seven kingdoms, says, "Sexta divisio est Muref et Ros," Excerpta ex veteri chronico Regum Scotorum beareth, "Donevaldus, filius Constantini, apud oppidum Fother occisus est a gentibus." Malcolmus

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⚫ TACIT. Vita AGRICOLAE, Cap. 10. Sect. 5.

The Roman Fleet then first sailed round the coast

of this wholly unknown Sea, ascertained that Britain was an Island, and at the same time discovered and subdued the unknown Islands, which they call the Orkneys.---And even Thule was descried.

“filius Domnail cum exercitu perexit in Moreb." Nomina Regum "Scotorum ex Registro Prioratus St Andreæ, says, " Dovenal Mac Constantin mortuus est in Fores." "Malcolmus Mac Dovenald interfectus est in Ulurn (forte Aldern) a Moraviensibus." "Duff Mac Malcolm interfectus est in Fores, et absconditus sub ponte ❝ de Kinlos, et sol non apparuit quamdiu ibi latuit.” * Innes's critical Essay, Vol. II. Appendix. After the tenth century, we have so frequent accounts of Moray, that I shall not descend to particulars. There are few countries in Scotland (except Moray) but Descriptions of them may be met with in print or in manuscript. Even in the Northern parts, Dr Nicolson, in his Scottish Historical Library, mentions Descriptions of Shetland, Orkney, Caithness, Sutherland, Buchan, Merns, and others. But I have not been so fortunate, as to have read or heard of a Description of the Country of Moray. This renders the task I have cut out for myself, the more difficult.I walk on untrodden ground, having no author, ancient or modern, to conduct me; and I must rest contented, with what materials my sphere of reading, and the testimony of credible persons, have furnished me.

• The Sixth Division is Moray and Ross. Excerpts from the Old Chronicle of the Kings of the Scots: Donevald the son of Constantine, was murdered by the people at Fother :---Malcolm, the son of Domnail proceeded with the Army to Moray. The names of the Kings of Scotland, from the Register of the Prior of St Andrews; Dovenal Mac Constantin died in Forres: Malcolm Mac Dovenald is murdered by the Moravienses in Ulurn, (probably Aldern.) Duff Mac Malcolm, is murdered in Forres, and concealed under the Bridge of Kinloss; and the sun did not shine out so long as he lay hidden there.

PART I

THE

NAME, EXTENT, SITUATION,

AND

DIVISION OF MORAY.

THE NAME OF THE COUNTRY OF MORAY.

PTOLEMY, speaking of CALEDONIA (or rather of Sylva Caledonia) says, that it extended, "A A Lelalonio Lacu usque ad Estuarium

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Vararis." It is generally allowed, that, by the Estuarium Vararis, is meant, the Frith of Moray; and hence some have conjectured, that Moray was anciently called Varar. But it is of the Frith, not of the country, that Ptolemy speaketh, and Friths were denominated from the rivers that emptied into them. As Estuarium, Tai, Bodotriæ, Glotæ, the Friths of Tay, Forth, and Clyde. Varar, therefore, must be the name of a river that falleth into the Frith of Moray; and a river of that name there is, which enters into the very head of that Frith. It is now commonly called the River of Beaulie, and the Highlanders call it, Avon na Manach, i. e. the Monk's River, because the Priory of Beaulie stood on the bank of it; but the true name of it is, Farar. It floweth out of Loch Monar, in the hills of Ross, and the valley through which it runneth is called Strath-FaNow the Romans did, and we do, often change the digamma F into V, as in Knife, Knives; Shelf, Shelves; &c. Agricola's fleet coasting along would search every Frith and bay, into the head

rar.

From Loch Fyne, as far as the Frith of Beaulie.

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