The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

CHAP. IX] OF SCOTLAND 145
enim se perfectius castrorum sudoribus consultissimum pute-
bant."i Lindsay of Pittscottie gives the same account in 1573.
" The other pairts (of Scotland) northerne ar full of montaines,
and very rud and homlie kynd of people doeth inhabite, which
be cloathed with
is called Reedschankis or wyld Scottis. They
ane mantle, with ane schirt, saffroned after the Irisch manner,
going bair legged to the knee." Monsieur Jean de Beaugne,
who accompanied the French auxiliaries to Scotland in 1548,
describes the same dress :
"
Quelques sauvages les suyvirent,
ansi qu'ils sont nuz fors que de leurs chemises taintes et de
certaines couvertures legeres faites de laine de plusieurs couleurs;
portans de grands arcs et semblables epees et bouchiers que les
autres."2 In 15 12, John Major adds his testimony to the general
"
use of the same dress : A medio crure ad pedem caligas non
habent ; chlamyde
pro veste superiore et camiisa croco tincta
amiciuntur grossos pugiones sub zona positos ferunt fre-
quenter nudis tibiis sub cruribus ; in hyeme chlamydem pro
veste superiore portant."3 And finally, we have the authority
of Blind Harry for the fifteenth century. He mentions that
• " Their clothing was made for use
(being chiefly suited to war), and not
for ornament. All, both nobles and
common people, wore mantles of one
sort (except that the nobles preferred
those of different colours). These were
long and flowing, but capable of being
neatly gathered up at pleasure into
folds. I am inclined to belieTe that
they were the same ns those to which
the ancients gave the name brachse.
Wrapped up in these for their only
covering, they would sleep comfort-
ably. They had also shaggy rugs,
such as the Irish use at the present
day, some fitted for a journey, others
to be placed on a bed. The rest of
their garments consisted of a short
woollen jacket, with the sleeves open
below for the convenience of throwing
their darts, and a covering for the
thighs of the simplest kind, more for
decency than for show or a defence
against cold. They made also of linen
Tery large shirts, with numerous folds
K
and very large sleeves, which flowed
abroad loosely on their knees. These
the rich coloured with saffron, and
others smeared with some grease, to
preserve them longer clean among the
toils and exercises of a camp, which
they held it of the highest consequence
to practise continually."
^ " Several Highlanders (or wild
Scots) followed them (the Scottish
army), and they were naked, except
their seamed shirts and a certain light
covering made of wool of various
colours ; carrying large bows and
similar swords and bucklers to the
others," i.e., to the Lowlanders.
2 " From the middle of the thigh
to the foot they have no covering for
the leg, clothing themselves with a
mantle instead of an upper garment.
They carry large daggers, placed under
the belt ; their legs are frequently
naked under the thigh ;
in winter thej'
carry a mantle for an upper garment."