372 MR J. GEIKIE ON THE BURIED FORESTS 



object the preservation of the woods. JEneas Silvius (afterwards Pope Pius II.), 

 who visited this country about the middle of the fifteenth century, relates, 

 " Pauperes pene nudos ad templa mendicantes, acceptis lapidibus eleemosynse 

 gratia datis, laetos abiisse conspeximus. Id genus lapidis sive sulphurea sive alia 

 pingui materia praeditum, pro ligno, quo regio nuda est, comburitur."* Such a 

 statement regarding the bare condition of the country might have been thought 

 somewhat exaggerated, for it is the testimony of a visitor from more favoured 

 climates ; but its truth is curiously illustrated by the wording of an Act of 

 Scottish Parliament, passed in the reign of James IV. : — " Anent the artikle of 

 greenewood, because that the Wood of Scotland is utterly destroyed, the unlaw 

 theirof beand sa little : Therefore," &c.f 



There are, of course, numerous traditions regarding the former wooded con- 

 dition of various districts from which the trees have long since been stripped. 

 Many of these refer to some of those woods which I have already mentioned, as 

 being frequently named in the cartularies and similar records. 



Another line of evidence is supplied by local names ; but into this subject I do 

 not enter here. 



The short outline of historical facts given above seems to prove — 



1st. That when the Romans entered Britain they found the surface of the 

 country to some extent covered with forests, but diversified in many places with 

 bogs and marshes. 



2d. That to this period we must refer the destruction of some portions of the 

 ancient forests, whose remains are dug out of our peat mosses ; but what amount 

 of damage the woods then sustained we have no means of ascertaining. 



3d. That from the time which elapsed after the departure of the Romans, 

 down to the eleventh century, we have no certain records referring to the state of 

 the preservation of any part of the Scottish woods, if we except the statement of 

 Boethius, who tells us that Fife had in great measure been divested of its forests 

 by some of his early Scottish kings. 



4th. That from the eleventh to the thirteenth century, and down even to 

 later times, there appear to have been still considerable areas of forest land, 

 the rights to which were frequently granted to ecclesiastical communities and 

 others. 



5th. That during these centuries much forest was thus cleared and brought 

 under cultivation ; that at the same time woods were exhausted by building and 

 burning, more especially as fuel for the salt-works ; while extensive tracts were 

 displenished and laid waste during times of war and civil strife. 



6th. That from the time of James I. there appears to have been a progressive 

 decay of the remainder of the Scottish woods. 



* De Europa, c. 46. f Sext Parliament, a.d. 1503. 



