10 THE GROUSE 



same extent as the Norman monarchs of 

 England to the pastimes of foresting, or 

 that the same barbarous fencing of the 

 sanctity of the royal enclosures was 

 generally resorted to in Scotland, there 

 is still ample evidence of the existence 

 of several royal forests, and we have 

 numerous detailed descriptions of royal 

 or state visits to these. The sixteenth 

 century has, indeed, upon its records 

 many Acts of the Scots Parliament for 

 the seclusion and protection both of game 

 and wild deer, which by this period must 

 have been coming into note, judging by 

 an observation of Sir William Blackstone : 



From this root has sprung a Bastard slip 

 known by the name of the Game Law ; but with 

 this difference, that the forest laws established 

 only one mighty hunter throughout the land, 

 whilst the game laws have raised a little Nimrod 

 in every manor. 



It has been remarked that in Scotland 

 these early laws were administered with 

 less selfishness and cruelty than in the 

 sister country. But this must be qualified 



