HISTORY OF THE LINLITHGOW 



hounds as a gift to the gentlemen of the counties 

 of Linlithgow and Stirling, but I cannot say 

 anything about whether this was carried out, or 

 whether his Lordship's subscription was suspended 

 till he was repaid." So far there is nothing 

 which precludes the possibility of Mr Hay, and 

 after him Mr Ramsay, having become the owner 

 of the pack, but Knight continues, "I don't think 

 that Mr Ramsay paid anything for the hounds, 

 I never heard that he did " ; and while thus sup- 

 porting the view that Mr Ramsay, at least, was 

 not owner of the pack, he weakens the effect of 

 his statement by adding, " I always understood 

 that he [Mr Ramsay] got them as the county 

 property in the same way as Mr Johnston, 

 Mr Gillon^ and Mr Hay had done before him." 

 Certain letters^ which passed between Mr Hay 

 and other gentlemen towards the end of his 

 mastership, allude to his being relieved of " the 

 hounds, horses, &c.," but they really throw no 

 light on the subject, and perhaps the most re- 

 liable information is that derived from William 

 Shore, the Duke of Buccleuch's late huntsman, 

 who asserts ^ that Mr Ramsay purchased the 

 hounds from Mr Hay, and in consequence of 

 having paid the price to him instead of to his 

 trustee,* was for some time in danger of having 



1 Ml' Johnston and Mr Gillon, or Mr Johnston, had acquired the 

 hounds hy purchase. Vide p. 88. 



2 Among papers at Duns Castle. 



3 Letters to the author, of various dates, 



* Mr Hay's affairs had become in olved about this period. 



106 



