318 THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FOREST 



Whether this be exaggeration or not, it at any rate 

 indicates grievous destruction, typical of the progress of 

 invading armies. 



TRAVELLING AND THE MERRYMEN OF THE WOODS 



Through long ages the northern parts of Scotland, that 

 is to say the country north of the line of the Forth and 

 Clyde, were considered by the southron to be dangerous 

 and savage places, entered with one's life in one's hand. 

 To facilitate travelling in these uncouth areas, roads had 

 to be made and the woodland to be cleared. During 

 such a process, it was the custom, based upon expediency, 

 to destroy the trees and undergrowth for some distance on 

 both sides of the road, in order that a clear view might be 

 obtained and that no shelter might be left wherein a lurking 

 highwayman could be concealed. But the desire for safe 

 travelling led to further destruction, for bands of robbers 

 sought shelter in the thick woods, whence they could sally 

 upon a slow convoy, and whither they could retire again in 

 safety with their booty. " Upon the shore of Lochebrune " 

 wrote Monro in 1549, "lyes Elian Ew, haffe myle in length, 

 full of woods, guid for thieves to wait upon uther mens 

 gaire 1 ." And again, " Northwarte frae this ile lyes the ile 

 of Graynorde, maire nore ane myle lange, full of wood, guid 

 for fostering of thieves and rebellis." So grievous became 

 the assaults of such outlaws upon the persons and purses 

 of the lieges, and upon the preserved game of the forest as 

 well, that only by the destruction of their haunts could the 

 land be rid of them. So Hector Boece records in the six- 

 teenth century : " The regioun [of " Fyffe "] is now bair of 

 woddis, for the thevis war sumtime sa frequent in the samin, 

 that thay micht na way be dantit 2 , quhill 3 the woddis was 

 bet 4 doon 5 ." 



THE WOLVES 



The forests had more legitimate, but not less trouble- 

 some tenants in the hordes of wolves they harboured. A 

 prayer in the old Litany of Dunkeld runs, "From caterans 



1 Gear, goods. 2 Daunted, defeated. 



3 Until. 4 Beaten. 



5 Cf. quotation on p. 319, each in its exaggeration contains a significant 

 fact. 



