But the most precise and correct account of Scottish agriculture, during the Anglo-Saxon government, or from the reign of Edgar, who mounted the throne in 1097, to the decease of Alexander III. 1286 may be found in Mr Chalmers' CALEDONIA, recently published, wherein the most diligent research is displayed, and every statement supported by respectable authorities. The authorities cited by Mr Chalmers are numerous and decisive. 'Without trusting to former writers, who rarely took the trouble to ascertain the truth of what was asserted, this gentleman sedulously consulted the ancient records, both of public bodies and private indi viduals, and has thereby thrown a light upon the ancient history of this country, sufficiently bright to illuminate the dark periods which he treated of, and enlighten the people of the present day, respecting the former state of their native country, and the progress of agriculture, and other useful arts.
According to Mr Chalmers, agriculture, during the period of the Anglo-Saxon dynasty, was the universal object of pursuit, from the prince to the peasant. The king possessed manors in every shire, and managed and cultivated them by thanes, or bailiffs. The nobles fol lowed the king's example, and had many manors in their proper demesne. The bishops and abbots emulated the nobles, in the extent of their possessions, and the great ness of their husbandry establishments ; and next to the kings, they may be considered as the greatest farmers of these times. At that period, wool and skins were the only articles of foreign traffic, the export commodi ties of Scotland, as happens with every country in a state of commercial infancy, being confined within a very li mited sphere.
At the period under consideration, the great body of cultivators were bondmen and vitaprs, rather than free men and farmers, not having any property of their own. But many free tenants were also settled in the agricul tural villages, who paid services to their lords ; and many cottars, who, besides helping to cultivate the ground, followed some domestic trade, and yielded much assist ance to their superiors. When the kings and barons, the bishops and abbots, began to emancipate their men, leases were first granted, not only of the land itself, but also of the stock employed in its cultivation. The stock, which thus accommodated both parties, was called the Steelbow ; in other words, it was a stock which was to be restored to the proprietor at a future period, in the same value and condition as when it was leased. It is
understood, that William the Lion, and Alexander II., made various regulations for promoting agriculture, and securing the rights of those employed in carrying it on ; but of these matters it is difficult to speak with any pre cision. It has been asserted with more confidence than knowledge, that Scotland was formerly wholly naked, and destitute of woods ; whereas there is every sort of proof, that nearly the whole of the country, in ancient times, was covered with timber trees. The numerous mosses of Scotland were originally so many woods, which is evident from the number of trees dug up in them, and from other circumstances handed down both by traditionary and written authority. The black and barren moors, which now disfigure the face of the coun try, were formerly clothed with woods, and furnished useful timber, and excellent pasturage. Oak appears, in those times, to have been the wood of most general use. The bridges, the castles, the churches, and the towns, were built with this sort of timber. The waste made in the course of different wars, added to the quan tity used for domestic purposes, lessened the extent of woodland ; and as no steps were taken to supply the vacancies which daily occurred, the whole, or nearly the whole, was, in the course of time, consumed and ex hausted. There are, in the old maps of Scotland, many names of places derived from woods, of which the slightest trace or information cannot now be gained. In the chartularies, numerous notices of forests are given in counties where a single tree is not now to be seen.
The lawless habits which too generally prevailed dur ing the Anglo-Saxon dynasty, made it necessary for the people to live in collected bodies; in villages and ham lets, rather than in farms, so that their mutual comfort and security might be preserved. To each of these vil lages was annexed a district of land, which was cultiva ted by husbandmen and their cottagers, in different pro portions. The pasture-lands, and the wood-lands, were enjoyed in common; each of the villagers having a right of pasturage for a certain number of domestic animals, according to the extent of arable land possessed within the territory. These villages were of different sizes, according to the size of the estate upon which they were situated, and the fertility of the adjoining lands. Some of them had a church, others a mill, all of them had malt-kilns, and brew-houses, as may be distinctly ob served from a perusal of the ancient chartularies.