Kneck, is a p la c e c a l l e d th e Keir. H e r e , fa y s M r . Gordon, (for 1
d i d n o t v i f i t i t ) are a g r e a t m a n y c i r c u m v a l la t io n s a n d ramparts of
f to n e a n d e a r th ; a n d r e g u la r te r r a c e s d e f c e n d in g o n th e fid e o f the
h i l l . I n Wales w e h a v e m a n y Britijh p o f t s .th a t b e a r th e general
n am e o f Caer ; a n d h a d I t im e to h a v e e x am in e d i t , I fh o u ld doubt-
le f s h a v e fo u n d i t t o h a v e b e en o n e .
N o r m u l l I le a v e th is p la c e w i th o u t o b f e r v in g , th a t from its'
r am p a r t s is t o b e fe en th e p la in o f Sheriffmoor, w h e r e th e ill-dif-
p u t e d b a t t le o f Dunblain w a s f o u g h t in 1 7 1 5 . T h e E a r l o f Mst.\
la y w i t h h is a rm y th e e v e n in g b e fo r e a t Ardoch.
O n l e a v in g th is fin e r e l iq u e o f a n t iq u i t y , p r o c e e d d o w n Strath-j
earn. P a f s b y a f tu p e n d o u s Cairn. C r o f s an e x t e n f iv e b l a c k mood
T u l l i e a r d i k e . a n d fo o n a f t e r r e a c h Tullibardine'*, a g r e a t o ld h o u fe , th e original
f e a t o f th e Murrays, a n d w h i c h g iv e s th e t i t le o f Marquis to the!
h e i r o f Athol. In 1 7 1 5 i t w a s m a d e a g a r r i fo n b y th e r e b e l s ; and
f o r fom e t im e im p e d e d th e a d v a n c e o f th e K i n g ’ s a rm y towards1!
Perth. B e fo r e t h e 'h o u f e , a c c o r d in g t o h o n e f t Lindefay, w a s Ihewn
th e le n g th an d b r e a d th o f th e g r e a t ih ip , th e Great Michael, b u ilt by
James I V . a n d d e f c r ib e d b y h is h if to r ia n w i t h moft: fcrupuloos
m in u te n e f s -f-- T h e d im e n f io n s , fa y s h e , w e r e e x p r e l fe d h e r e by the
fhipwrights,
* From Bulloch a hillock, and Hardin bards; this place being fuppofed to have
been appropriated to the fupport o f a bard. In old times diftridts were allottee
by the great men for their fupport, which often became hereditary in their fa®"
lies. Doctor Machphcrpn, 218.
f In this fame year the k in g o f Scotland bigged a great ihip, called the Grot
Michael, which was the greateft Ihip, and o f moft ftrength, that ever failed in rijS
¡and or France', for this.ihip was o f fo great ftature, and took fo much timber,
that,
I fhipwrights, by a plantation of hawthorns, which I looked for,
I; but in vain.
Near the houfe is the very neat cafe of a fmall church - but the
■ infide is quite ruinous. |
Draw near the Ochil hills, verdant and fmooth ; fee at a fmall
■ diftance, at their foot, Kincardine, an antient feat of the Montrofe
■ family. To the left is the fmall town of Auchterardire^ which, with
UMuthel, Blackford,, Dinin, and feveral other villages, were burnt by
an order of the Pretender, dated from his court at Scone) the 17th of
M January, and the fifteenth year of his reign, 1715— 1716. This
» cruel command was executed in a moft uncommonly fevere feafon
■ and the poor inhabitants of every age and fex left expofed to the
111 excePt Falkland, fhe wafted a ll the woods in F ife , which was oak wood, by
^ all timber that was gotten out o f Norroway; for ihe was fo ftrong, and o f fo great
‘.length and breadth (all the wrights o f Scotland, yea and many other ftrangers,
were at her device, by the k in g ’s commandment, who wrought .very bufily. in her,
but it was year and day ere ihe was complete) T o wit. She was twelve fcore foot
■ o f length, and thirty fix foot within the fides; ihe was ten foot thick in the
■ wa“ > boards on every fide, fo Hack and fo thick that no cannon could go
I s thro’ her. This great ihip cumbred Scotland to get her to thefea. From that time
■ that Ihe was afloat, and her mails and fails complete, with tows and anchors of-
■ feiring thereto, ihe was counted to the kin g to be thirty thoufand pounds o f ex-
■ i ences, b y her artillery which was very great and coftly to the kin g by all the
■ reft of her orders. T o wit. ihe bare many canons, iix on every fide, with three
■ great baifils, two behind in her dock, and one before, with three hundred ihot o f
I ma^ artillery, that is to fay, myand and batter’d falcon, and quarter-falcon,
V peftilent ferpetens, and double-dogs, with hagtor and culvering, corsj
- k°ws and hand-bows. She had three hundred mariners to fail her ; fhe had fix
■ fc°re o f gunners to ufe her artillery ; and had a thoufand men o f war by her cap«
■ tains, ihippers, and quarter-mailers. .
P rigour