Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The overpowering trade of the Scottish merchants & the pygmy piper of Islandmagee


Old books are brilliant. I came across these great quotes recently:

'...through the overpowering trade of the Scottish merchants of Belfast the English trade of Lisburn is upon ruin… those Scotch have got all the general commissions from the London merchants for trade into their hands and so not one Englishman in these parts is so employed...’ (1679)

'...a little beyond Port Davy stands a promontory called the Black-head, whereon stands a lighthouse, and under it from the sea there is a large cave, where I have been told by the Country, a piper went in, and was heard at a place two miles form thence under ground; he must have been very little, for I have run fox into it with my dogs and killed him at the far end...' (1683)

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