148 THE EOCK DOVE. 



the sea-coast, or a rocky hold on the banks of the Tweed or 

 Whitadder. 



The dovecot Pigeon has from early times been under 

 the protection of the law, and for the purpose of encourag- 

 ing its increase in Scotland we find James iv., in his sixth 

 parliament (11th March 1503), enacting that " everilk Lord 

 and Laird, make them to have Parkes with Deare, stankes, 

 cunningares, dowcattes, orchardes, hedges, and plants, at 

 the least, ane aicker of Woode." ^ In a confirmation by the 

 same king, given at Stirling the 20th of July 1510, of a 

 husbandland in " Hirsell " to the Prioress of the Cistercian 

 convent of Coldstream, " columbis " and " columbarijs " are 

 mentioned,^ which shows that pigeon houses were then con- 

 sidered valuable adjuncts to landed property. 



Thefts of " Dowes furth of Dowcates " were severely 

 punished (James L, Pari. 2, c. 33; James iii., Pari. 10, 

 c. 60; James iv.. Pari. 6, c. 69, &c.) A breaker of " dowcats " 

 by Scots law was fined £10 Scots for the first fault, and £20 

 for the second, and it bears that for the third and obduracy 

 " he may be hanged to death." When children were the 

 culprits, the fathers or masters were to pay 13s. 4d. for " ilk 

 time of trespas," or " else sail deliver the said childe to the 

 Judge, to be leisched, scourged, and dung for his fault." ^ 

 It would seem that the enactment of James iv. with 

 regard to the making of " dowcates " had been carried 

 out too well, and that Pigeons became troublesome from 

 their numbers in the reign of James VI., for he, " con- 

 sidering the great inconvenients sustained by the Leiges 

 of this realm through the frequent building of dowcats 



1 Laws and Acts of Parliament made hy the Kings and Queen of Scotland. 

 Collected by Sir Thomas Murray of Glendook, Bart., 1681. 



2 Chartidary of the Cistercian Abbey of Coldstream, by Rev. C. Rodgers, 

 LL.D., p. 56. 



3 Regiam Majestatem., edition 1609. The Forest Lawes, fol. 139, b., chap, iii., 

 Nos. 5 and 7. — Mr, Hardy's MS. Notes. 



