10 FALCONE Y IN BERWICKSHIRE. 



hawking, and it is in her reign that we first hear of the 

 gun being used in Scotland to kill wild-fowl, " quhair- 

 throw, the Noblemen of the Eealme, can get na pastime 

 of halking and hunting like as has bene in times by-past." 

 The destruction to sport, "be occasion foresaid," seems to 

 have been considered so serious, that on the 29th of May 

 1551 the Scottish Parliament passed the following Act 

 " Anent them that schuttis with gunnis at Deare and Wilde- 

 fowle " : -" The samin daye, for-sa-meikle as it was devised, 

 statute, and ordained of before, that nane of Our Soveraine 

 Ladies Leiges, sulde take upon hande to schutte with Halfe- 

 hag, Quivering, or Pistolet, at Deare, Eae, Wilde-beasts, or 

 Wilde-fowles, under the paine of death : Notwithstanding 

 Our Soveraine Ladies Leiges daylie and continuallie in- 

 contrair the tenour of the Actes maid thereupon, incurrand 

 the paines conteined in the samin, schuttis with the Halfe- 

 hag, Quivering, and Pistolette, at the saidis Wilde-beastes 

 and Wilde-fowles, quhair-throw the Noblemen of the Kealnie, 

 can get na pastime of halking an hunting, like as has bene 

 had in times by-past, bee reason that all sik Wilde-beastes 

 and Wilde-fowles ar exiled and banished, be occasion foresaid, 

 etc : It is ordained that nane of Our Sov. Ladies Leiges, of 

 quhat-sumever degree hee be of, take upon hande to schutte 

 with Halfe-hag, Colvering, or Pistolet under the paine of death 

 and confiscation of all their gudes. The taker sail have the 

 escheit of the persones gudes hee apprehendis and sail be 

 rewarded utherwaies, as accordis for his laboures." ] 



On the 20th of June 1555 another Act was passed 

 " Anent the slaying of wilde-beasts, wilde-fowles, halking 

 and hunting," whereby it was enacted that " na man take 

 in hand to ryde or gang in their nichbouris corne in 

 halking or hunting, fra the Feast of Pasche unto the 



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

 Collected by Sir Thomas Murray of Glendook : Edinburgh, 1681, p. 142. 



