A great part of Scotland was then as poor and rude as Iceland now is.

There were five or six shires which did not altogether contain so many guineas and crowns as were tossed about every day by the shovels of a single goldsmith in Lombard Street.

Even the nobles had very little ready money.

They generally took a large part of their rents in kind, and were thus able, on their own domains, to live plentifully and hospitably.

But there were many esquires in Kent and Somersetshire who received from their tenants a greater quantity of gold and silver than a Duke of Cordon or a Marquess of Atholl drew from extensive provinces.