The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

152 THE HIGHLANDERS [part i
and this was set all round with several finer stones of a lesser
size.
" The plad being pleated all round, was tied with a belt
below the breast ; the belt was of leather, and several pieces
of silver intermixed with the leather like a chain. The lower
end of the belt has a piece of plate, about eight inches long
and three in breadth, curiously engraven, the end of which was
adorned with fine stones, or pieces of red coral. They wore
sleeves of scarlet cloth, closed at the end as men's vests, with
gold lace round them, having plate buttons set with fine stones.
The head dress was a fine kerchief of linen strait about the
head, hanging down the back taperwise. A large lock of hair
hangs down their cheeks above their breast, the lower end
tied with a knot of ribbands."
Besides the antiquity of the Highland dress, the use of
armour among the Highlanders has been also
much doubted by modern antiquaries, but there
are perhaps few points for which there is clearer attestation
the few
during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries ; and
notices of Highland customs at that period attest the use of
the helmet, and the shirt of mail. Their weapons appear to
have been the large sword, the battle-axe, the spear, the bow
and arrow, and the dirk. In illustration of this, we shall throw
together a few passages from the writers of that period.
In 1 5 12.—"Arcum et sagittas, latissimum ensem, cum parv^o
halberto, pugionem grossum ex solo uno latere scindentem et
acutissimum sub zona semper ferunt. Tempore belli loricam
ex loris ferreis per totum corpus induunt et in ilia pugnant.''^
In 1573.— " Thair weapones ar bowes and dartes, with ane
verie broad sword, and ane dagger sharp onlie at the one
syde."2
In 1578.—"In prceliis vero hostilique concursu vel lancea
vel sagitta adversarium petebant. Gladio quoque utebantur
ancipiti, pedites oblongo, equites brevi, utrique
lato, ac acie
^ John Major. — " They always carry they cover their wliole body with a
a bow and. arrows, a very broad sword shirt of mail of iron rings, and fight
Avith a small halbert, a large dagger, in that.''
sharpened on one side only, but very ,
sharp, under the belt. In time of war
Lindsay of Pittscottie.