re fat deer kills.
Lowland, your sports are low as is your seat,
The Highland games and minds, are high and great.

Being come to our lodgings, there was such baking, boiling, roasting,
and stewing, as if Cook Ruffian had been there to have scalded the devil
in his feathers: and after supper a fire of fir-wood as high as an
indifferent May-pole: for I assure you, that the Earl of _Mar_ will give
any man that is his friend, for thanks, as many fir trees (that are as
good as any ship's masts in England) as are worth if they were in any
place near the Thames, or any other portable river) the best earldom in
England or Scotland either: For I dare affirm, he hath as many growing
there, as would serve for masts (from this time to the end of the world)
for all the ships, caracks, hoys, galleys, boats, drumlers, barks, and
water-crafts, that are now, or can be in the world these forty years.

This sounds like a lie to an unbeliever; but I and many thousands do
know that I speak within the compass of truth: for indeed (the more is
the pity) they do grow so far from any passage of water, and withal in
such rocky mountains, that no way to convey them is possible to be
passable, either with boat, horse, or cart.

Thus having spent certain days in hunting in the Brae of _Mar_, we went
to the next county called _Badenoch_, belonging to the Earl of _Enzie_,
where having such sport and entertainment as we formerly had; after four
or five days pastime, we took leave of hunting for that year; and took
our journey toward a strong house of the Earl's, called _Ruthven_ in
_Badenoch_, where my Lord of _Enzie_ and his noble Countess (being
daughter to the Earl of _Argyle_) did give us most noble welcome three
days.

From thence we went to a place called _Balloch Castle_,[25] a fair and
stately house, a worthy gentleman being the owner of it, called the
Laird of _Grant_; his wife being a gentlewoman honourably descended
being sister to the right Honourable Earl of _Athol_, and to Sir
_Patrick Murray_ Knight; she being both inwardly and outwardly
plentifully adorned with the gifts of grace and nature: so that our
cheer was more than sufficient; and yet much less than they could afford
us. There stayed there four days, four Earls, one Lord, divers Knights
and Gentlemen, and their servants, footmen and horses; and every meal
four long tables furnished with all varieties: our first and second
course being three score dishes at one board;