Page:The Lay of the Last Minstrel - Scott (1805).djvu/304

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

295

a Berwyke! A Fenwyke, a Fenwyke! A Bulmer, a Bulmer! or so otherwise as theyr captains names wear, never lin'de these troublous and dangerous noyses all the nighte longe. They said they did to finde their captain and fellows; but if the souldiours of our other countreys and sheres had used the same manner, in that case we shoold have oft tymes had the state of our camp more like the outrage of a dissolute huntyng, than the quiet of a well ordred armye. It is a feat of war, in mine opinion, that might right well be left. I could teherse causes (but yf I take it, they ar better unspoken than uttred, unless the faut wear sure to be amended) that might shew thei move alweis more peral to our armie, hut in their one night's so doynge, than thei shew good service (as sum sey) in a hoole vyage."—Apud Dalzell's Fragments, p. 75.

Cheer the dark blood-hound on his way,
And with the bugle rouse the fray.—St. XXIX. p. 154.

The pursuit of Border marauders was followed by the injured party and his friends with blood-hounds and bugle-horn, and was called the hot-trod. He was entitled, if his dog could trace the scent, to follow the invaders into the opposite kingdom; a privilege which often occasioned blood-shed. In addition to what has been said of the blood-hound, I may add, that the breed was kept up by the Buccleuch family on their border estates till within the 18th century. A person was alive in the memory of man, who remembered a blood-hound being kept at Eldinhope, in Ettricke Forest, for whose maintenance he tenant had an allowance of meal. At that time the sheep