14 FALCONRY IN BERWICKSHIRE. 



under the paine of fourtie shilliugs." 1 The numerous 

 entries in the Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of 

 Scotland of expenses connected with falconry during the 

 reign of James iv. show that " the champion of the dames " 

 was passionately fond of that sport, and we find one to the 

 effect that "on monnunda the iiij da Januar " 1489, the 

 king " raide to Lauder to the halkin," 2 the extensive 

 common there being well suited for that purpose. On the 

 19th of November 1496 he appears to have visited Home 

 with his falconers, 3 where he remained for ten days, and 

 would doubtless enjoy good sport with Lord Home and 

 other noblemen of the Merse, for they would be able to 

 show him not only abundance of the ordinary kinds of 

 game, such as Partridges, Black-game, and Grouse, but like- 

 wise Herons and Bitterns in the extensive marshes and 

 bogs which then covered the surface of the county in 

 every direction. " In pursuing the sport the falconers rode 

 on horseback, for the sake of following the rapid move- 

 ments of the Hawks, and were accompanied by dogs 4 for 

 the purpose of ' serving ' the Hawks or raising the quarry. 

 This was sometimes done by persons who accompanied 

 them on foot. Such were the ' laddis that ran with the 

 king at the halking,' and the ' childer that chasit dukis in 

 the dubbis and set thaim up to the halkis. ' " 5 



1 The Laws and Acts of Parliament vmde by the Kings and Queen of Scotland. 

 Collected by Sir Thomas Murray of Glendook : Edinburgh, 1681, p. 64. 



3 Accounts of the Lard High Treasurer of Scotland, vol. i., 1473-98, p. 127. 



3 Ibid. p. 306. 



4 "It was usual on excursions of the kind to be accompanied by a water-dog, 

 because the Hawk and its prey sometimes both fell in the water ; and in their 

 struggles the Wild-fowl, from its greater power when on the suri'ace of that element, 

 frequently imperilled the safety of the Hawk by plunging and diving. The fowler, 

 meanwhile watching his bird in case of danger, would send the dog to the rescue, 

 which was so trained that it never attempted to injure the Hawk, but seized the 

 Mallard, or whatever fowl it might be, and brought it to its master." Folkard, 

 The Wild Fowler, p. 12. 



5 Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, vol. i., 1473-98, Preface, 

 p. ccliii. 



