To Cargyll wood thai went that samyn nycht.—V. 677.
In MS. Gargyll. But it is Cargill, Edit. 1594; and this must be the true reading, Shortwoodshaw being in the parish of Cargill. V. Stat. Acc. XIII. 532. This is evidently spoken of as the same with Cargyll-wood.
NOTES ON THE FIFTH BOOK.
In Gyllisland thar was that brachell brede.—
So was scho vsyt on Esk and on Ledaill;
Quhill scho gat blude no flëyng mycht awail.—V. 25.
Gilderland, Edit. 1594; Gelderland, 1620, 1648, 1673, &c., also 1714. But this must be Gillesland or Gilsland, a barony in Cumberland. The Minstrel having said that the hound was bred here, immediately speaks of her being used to track in Esk and Liddisdale, in the vicinity of Cumberland. So late as the reign of James I. of England, there is an order dated A. 1616, that no less than nine bloodhounds should be kept on the Border, upon Esk, and other places mentioned. V. Pennant’s Tour, 1772; I. 77, II. 397.
Bellenden, after Boece, gives a particular description of these bloodhounds, which agrees with the facts mentioned above, and has considerable interest.
“The thrid kynd is mair than ony rache. Red hewit or ellis blak with small spraingis of spottis, and ar callit be the peple sleuthhundis. Thir doggis hes sa meruellous wit, that thai serche theuis, and followis on thaym allanerlie be sent of the guddis that ar tane away. And nocht allanerlie fyndis the theif, bot inuadis hym with gret cruelté. And thocht the theuis oftymes cors the watter, quhair thai pas, to caus the hound to tyne the sent of thaym and the guddis, yit he serchis heir and thair with sic deligence, that be his fut he fyndis baith the trace of the theiff and the guddis. The meruellous nature of thir houndis wil haue na faith with vncouth peple. Howbeit the samyn ar rycht frequent and ryfe on the bordouris of Ingland and Scotland. Attour it is statute be the lawis of the bordouris, he that denyis entres to the sleuthound in tyme of chace and serching of guddis, sal be haldin participant with the cryme and thift committit.” Discription of Albion, chap. XI.
This extract throws light on a passage in The Bruce, where the king is made to refer to the vulgar idea as to the means necessary for making the blood-hound lose his scent; although the statement given by Boece opposes the opinion which had been generally received.