II Certain Delusions of the North Britons 309 



as his ancestors did, and as the Spanish women "^of 

 certain parts do now, wearing a navaja bravely in 

 their garters, as many have seen and some felt), but 

 also a fork,^ as if such a thing was known, even in 

 South Britain, before the time of honest Tom Coryat, 

 who brought one with him from Italy, and used it at 

 court, to the great mirth and marvel of the courtiers 

 of good King James the First, no fork having been 

 seen in England before that one. Strange that they 

 who (when they had nothing to eat) derided us 

 South Saxons (who had) as ' Pock-puddings,' should 

 carry with them, even into the houses of the great, 

 such things as are commonly provided for guests, as 

 fearing to miss their meat for lack of tackle ! 



But as soon as one devil is laid, so riseth up 

 another. As Roger Bacon his clerk, breaking the 

 broomstick, did find that he had two fiends instead 

 of one to contend with, so is it with these ' Delu- 

 sions.' No sooner have I exposed the folly of the 

 form of the kilt, than I have to demonstrate the 

 absurdity of its colour ; and so for the delusion of 

 the Tartan. 



North Britons for the most part believe that each 

 Clan or division of them has had, from time 

 immemorial, certain sets, patterns, or varieties of 

 colouring on their clothes, to distinguish one from 

 the other ; nay, they delude themselves that these 

 strange, and not unseldom beautiful, variegations, as 



^ In 1 7 16 Sir Hugh Campbell of Cawdor had only ' ane silver 

 fork.'— Ed. 



