Six north country diaries - The MAN & Other Families

18
Hence wee went to view the Holy Island, and about 10 a clock,
when the tyde was out, wee rode over to it and divers walked on foote
into it.
It is about 5 mile in compasse, a levell ground with a short greene
swade ui^on it, noe part of it tilled nor affoording any thing but
conies. Just at our comming those shipps wee sawe last night, beeing
20 sayle under the command of Marquisse Hammilton (halving beene
with him at Duni Fryth with 5,000 land souldiours), heere landed 2
regiments of foote. Sir Simon Harecourt's, and Sir Tho. Moreton's
24 ensignes, who in the island stood to their armes and musterd, and
soe soone as the tyde was a little more withdrawne, marched away
towards Barwick. There were more shipps and more souldiours (as
they tould us) which were gone to the Feame Islands nea^re adjoyning
and within sight, where, as they report, are those foule they call Solom
Geese, which at the time of the yeare flock thither in such multitudes
they cover the ground, and bring infinite plenty of sticks with them
to build theire nests with, and such as build upon the rocks will lay
their eggs upon the edges of such precipices that if a man take it up,
hee cannot possibly lay it where hee had it, but it will fall ; the reason
(as they affirme) is because the burd layes together with the egg a
gummy matter, which after it lies a while covered with her foote (for
soe they hatch them and not with their bodies as other burds doe)
it growes stiffe and fastens the egg where it was layde.
In this island is a small villadge, and a little chappell. There is
yet remaining the mines of a faire church very like the cathedrall at
Durham, both for the stone and manner of building. It was consecrated
to St. Cuthbert, who, for his holy life, obtained a miraculous
gift to the island, that about 9 a clock every Sonday the water
should bee soe lowe, that the inhabitants of the countrey that parish
to that church may come dry shod to jDrayers and retourne before it
flowe againe, and it happens soe noe day of the weeke besides : but
upon enquiry I was tould it Avas but a superstitious tradition, and noe
truth. This church and buildings were demollished by the Earle of
Sussex since the beginning of King James his reigne, to whom the
.government of the isle was given. There is a pretty fort in it, which
upon this occasion was repaired and put into fox'me. There are 2
batteries on it, on the lower stood mounted 3 iron peeces and 2 of
brasse, with carriadges and platform es in good order. On the higher
was one brasse gunne and 2 iron ones with all ammunition to them.
There are 2-i men and a captain kept in pay to man it, the common
souldiours have 6f7. per diem, and the captain [a space is Jeff here].
Tlie captain at our beeing there was Captain Rugg,*° knowne com-
'"
Robei't Riigg apparently succeeded his father-in-law, Henry Jones,
'Deputy Captain of Norham and Island-shire,' who died in 1629. He was
buried at Berwick, September 6, 1647. Of- Raine, North Durham, p. 164.
See also account of Holy Island by (Jibert Blakhal, quoted in Proceedings of
Newcastle Society of Antiquaries, 3 ser. vol. iii., p. 294.
'
In this island, in a dainty little fort, there lives Captain Rugg, governor of