58 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE RED DEER 



had killed nineteen harts, fourteen hinds, seventeen 

 calves, two bucks, four 'sourells,' thirteen does, a 

 ' priket,' and two fawns. Even in the days of Queen 

 Elizabeth, the Scottish nobles gave trouble of a 

 similar description. It had been an ancient custom of 

 the borderers to send to the Warden of the Middle 

 March, ' to desire leave that they might come into the 

 borders of England, and hunt with their greyhounds 

 for deere, towards the end of summer, which was never 

 denied them. But towards the end of Sir John Foster's 

 gouvernment, when he grew very old and weake, they 

 took boldnesse upon them, and without leave-asking 

 would come into England, and hunt at their pleasure, 

 and stay their owne time ; and when they were a 

 hunting their servants would come with cartes and 

 cutt down as much wood as everyone thought 

 would serve his turne, and carry it away to their 

 houses in Scotland.' This abuse of courtesy was 

 sharply rebuked by one Sir Robert Carey, who ap- 

 pears to have succeeded to the inefficient Sir John 

 Foster. Carey gave the bold strangers formal notice 

 that he was 'no way willing to hinder them of 

 their accustomed sportes to hunt in England as they 

 had ever done, but withall I would not by my 

 default dishonour the Queene and myselfe to give 

 them more liberty than was fitting : I prayed him 



