210 PROTECTION OF ANIMAL LIFE 



the penalties prescribed for illegal slaughter of deer. That 

 these laws effected an increase of deer in suitable localities, 

 such as the Highlands of Scotland, there can be little doubt, 

 judging by the numbers seen and slain in some^of the great 

 hunts of former times. Take for example that famous hunt, 

 in the summer of 1529, when King James V "togidder with 

 his mother and ane ambassadour of the Paipis [Pope's] wha 

 was in Scotland for the tyme, went all togidder to Atholl to 

 the huntis." The quaint description by Lindsay of Pitscottie 

 may be quoted, as much to show the pomp and circumstance 

 which attached to a royal hunt as to illustrate the significance 

 set upon the protection of deer, and the efficiency of legal 

 preservation. 



Preparations for the hunt were made long in advance, 

 armies of beaters being sent to the hills, weeks or even 

 months before the date of the final massacre. During the 

 intervening time the beaters concentrated from all quarters 

 upon the place chosen for the last act, driving before them the 

 herds of deer from valley and mountain. To the rendezvous 

 the King was conducted and housed in state; but let Pit- 

 scottie carry on the narrative in his own inimitable language. 



This noble Earl of Atholl caused mak ane curious pallace to the King, 

 his mother, and the ambassadour, quhairby they were als weill eased as if 

 they had been in ony pallace either of Scotland or England, and equivalent 

 for the tyme of thair hunting ; quhilk was biggit in the midle of ane greine 

 meadow, and the wallis thereof was of greine timber, wovin with birkis, 

 and biggit in four quarteris, as if it had been ane pallace, and in everie 

 quarter ane round lik ane block-house, quhilkis was loftit and jeasted thrie 

 hous hicht ; the floore was laid with grein earthe, and strowed with sick 

 floures as grew in the meadow, that no man knew quhairon he yead, bot 

 as he had beine in ane greine gardeine. Fardder, thair was tuo great 

 roundis on everie syd of the yett, and ane great portcullis of trie falling 

 down, as if it had beine ane barrace yett, with ane gritt draw bridge, and 

 ane foussie of sixteine fute deip, and thrittie fute broad, of watter. This 

 pallace was hung with fyne tapestrie within, and weill lighted in all necessair 

 pairts with glassin windowis. 



The king was verrie weill entertained in this wildernes the space of 

 three dayes with all sick delicious and sumptuous meattis as was to be 

 hade in Scotland, for fleschis, fischis and all kindis of fyne wyne and spycis 

 requisit for ane Prince. Fardder, thair was no fischis that could leive in 

 fresh waiters but war thair swimming in the foussie about the pallace. It 

 is said by the space of thir three dayes that his Grace was thair, the Earle 

 of Atholl was everie day ane thousand pundis of expenss. This Pope's 

 ambassadour, sieing so great ane triumph in ane wildernes quhair their 

 was no toun neir be twentie myllis, he thought it ane great marvell that 



