Deer Forests of Scotland. 285 



repair sacred edifices ; but the most signal tokens of the royal bounty were 

 displayed in profuse presents of venison from the royal forests. As two of 

 these forests, those of Selkirk and Jedburgh are comprised within our 

 bounds, these are interesting facts to know ; and their recital will contribute 

 a few more incidents to the history of the Eed Deer on the Borders, addition- 

 al to what is already told in the History of the Club, vol. iv., pp. 214-217. 

 The grants for the whole kingdom being of limited compass may be specified, 

 as well as the bestowal of timber trees, which being for public purposes, is 

 less blameworthy. By a writ dated Newminster, 18th August, 1291, to 

 Alan, [St. Edmunds] bishop of Caithness, chancellor of Scotland, Simon 

 Fresel [Frazer], keeper of the forest of Selkirk is enjoined to bestow upon 

 the venerable fathers, William, [Frazer] bishop of St. Andrews, 30 stags; 

 Robert [Wishart], bishop of Glasgow, 20 stags and 60 oak trees ; and the 

 bishop of Caithness for himself, 10 stags ; James the Steward of Scotland, 

 20 stags ; Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March, 10 stags ; William de St. Clair, 

 6 stags ; and brother Brian (de Jaye), preceptor of the Templar Knights in 

 Scotland, 4 stags, and 4 oak trees. An order had already been procured by 

 this active partisan of Edward, dated Chatton, 14th August, 1291, to the 

 keeper of the forest of Clackmannan, for four oaks adapted for timber, (Rot. 

 Scot, i., p. 4.) William de Soules was to have 10 stags; John de Soules, 

 6 stags ; William de Haya, 6 stags ; and Alexander de Balliol, the Lord 

 Chamberlain, 10 stags ; the deer &c , to be delivered in places the most con- 

 tiguous and convenient to the recipients. Simon Fresel was at the same time 

 to have ten stags ; and by a second deed of the same date, Thomas de Clen- 

 hull was to have four deers from the same forest. (lb. p. 5.) This Thomas 

 de Clenhull, we afterwards, in 1292, discover as a knight, in Edward's service, 

 (p. 15) ; but in the reign of Edward II., in 1308, he or one of the same name, 

 is mentioned as an imprisoned Scot, about to be released from the castle of 

 St. Briavell, (p. 61). One hundred and forty eight deer constituted this first 

 distribution. Furthermore, Reginald le Chen, (or Cheyne) senior, and his 

 junior namesake, both men of official consequence, the son at least after- 

 wards a pensioner of Edward, obtain (of date at Thresk, 23 Aug., 1291) 

 from the forest of Spey, the father 10, and the son 6 deer. (lb. p. 5). On 

 the 26th October, the Bishop of Caithness is granted from the wood of 

 " Ternway," in Moray, 40 oaks suitable for timber to be used in the con- 

 struction of the Cathedral Church of Caithness. (lb. p. 6). The bishop did 

 not live to see his desires accomplished, having died before Jan. 8, 1291-2, 

 (p. 8) . Consequent on the decease of Simon Fraser, the custody of the forests 

 of " Trequer" and Selkirk was committed to William, the son of John 

 Comyn, 15th Jan. 1291-2., (p. 7). William Comyn, provost of St. Andrews, 

 acquires by letters, dated Berwick, 16th June, 1692, 6 stags from the forest 

 of Plater ; (p. 8) ; and on the 6th July, by a similar order from Berwick, 

 William Comyn, keeper of the forest of Selkirk was to deliver 6 stags as a 

 royal gift to the abbot of Jedburgh (G-eddewrth) ; Thomas Randolf, from the 

 same forest, was also to obtain 6 deers. In like manner from the forest of 

 Alnete de Spey, John Comyn, Earl of Buchan, the date being the 10th 

 July, had 10 stags consigned to him ; while in the forest of Collyn, 



