DESTRUCTION FOR SAFETY OF MAN AND STOCK 117 



lands of Eskdale, except only for the Wolves. Such casual 

 measures of restraining the wolf plague were soon found to 

 be inefficient, and more drastic means had to be enforced. 

 In 1283 King Alexander III made an allowance to his 

 Treasurer for payment of " one hunter of .wolves " at 

 Stirling. But even professional hunters proved insufficient, 

 and at last in the fifteenth century the law invoked the aid 

 of the barons, an Act of James I in 1428 requiring 

 that ilk baron within his barony in gaynande time of the year sail chase 

 and seek the quhelpes of Wolves and gar slay them, ...and that the barons 

 hunt in their baronies and chase the Woolfes four times a year, and als oft 

 as onie Woolfe beis seen within the barony. 



Fig. 28. Wolf a Scottish scourge exterminated about two centuries ago. T \ nat. size. 



Under pain of forfeiting a wedder, the tenants were to "rise 

 with the baron" who was to pay to "the man that slays the 

 Woolfe in his barony and brings his head to the baron, twa 

 shillings." 



Even the efforts of the barons were unavailing, and the 

 scope of the hue and cry was broadened not many years 

 later, when in 1457, the inhabitants of the whole countryside 

 were compelled and coaxed by penalties and payments to 

 attend the wolf-hunt at the call of the sheriff, baillies or 

 barons : 



