ANCIENT AND MODERN FORESTRY 65 



These ancient Forest Laws of Scotland seem, 

 indeed, to have been conceived in the finest 

 and most generous spirit of true sport. Nothing 

 could well be more reasonable than the last 

 clause of the section relative to hunting within 

 the king's forest. * And quhasoever sail follow 

 his hounds or dogges runnand at ane beast, fra 

 his proper land within the King's forest : he 

 sail remove, and lay aside his bow and his 

 arrowes, gif he anie hes ; or he may bind the 

 bow and the arrowes with the bow-string. And 

 gif the hound slayes the beast : he with his 

 hound and the beast sail pas away quite and 

 free, but anie challange of the King, or Lord 

 of that forest.' 



In one point the Scottish laws differed essenti- 

 ally from the English, because forests could be 

 owned by * anie Baron : being infeft by the 

 King, in free Forest : and with inhibition that 

 na man do anie trespass in the samine ; under 

 the forefault, and pane of ten punds.' The 

 laws applied equally to these as to the king's 

 forests, and such ' Lord of the Forest ' could 

 condone no crime or trespass. 'Gif the Lord 

 of the Forest will not persew the said crime, 



