spot. It is now no less than five hundred and fifty years since Alexander's death, yet the people of the country still point out the spot where it happened, and which is called the King's Crag.

IV.-Margaret, Queen of Scotland,the Maid of Norway.

De-volve', to come from Practice, method; use.

one to another. A-vail', to profit; to promote. Prû'dent, practically wise. Am-bi'tious, immoderately fond of preferment, honour, or power. De-sir'ous, eager; anxious for.

En-deav'our, to attempt;
to try.
Ac-com'plish, to complete ;
to fulfil; to adorn.
Pro-pose', to offer.
Ef-fect', to bring to pass.
Im-meas'ür-a-ble,

im

mense; not to be measured.

Au-thor'i-ty, legal power; Dis-tress', misery; cala

influence.

mity.

Although all Alexander's children had died before him, yet Margaret, who had been married to Eric, King of Norway, had left a daughter of her own name, upon whom, as the grand-daughter and nearest heir of the deceased prince, the crown of Scotland devolved. The young princess, called by our historians the Maid of Norway, was residing at her father's court.

While the crown of Scotland thus passed to a young girl, the King of England began to consider by what means he could so avail himself of circumstances, as to unite it with

his own. This King was Edward, called the First, because he was the first of the Norman line of princes so named. He was a very brave man, and a good soldier,-wise, skilful, and prudent, but unhappily very ambitious, and desirous of extending his royal authority, without caring much whether he did so by right means, or by those which were unjust. And although it is a great sin to covet that which does not belong to you, and a still greater to endeavour to possess yourself of it by any unfair practices, yet his desire of adding the kingdom of Scotland to that of England was so great, that Edward was unable to resist it.

The mode by which the English King at first endeavoured to accomplish his object, was a very just one. He proposed a marriage betwixt the Maiden of Norway, the young Queen of Scotland, and his own eldest son, called Edward after himself. A treaty was entered into for this purpose; and had the marriage been effected, and been followed by children, the union of England and Scotland might have taken place more than three hundred years sooner than it did, and an immeasurable quantity of money and bloodshed would probably have been saved. But it was not the will of Heaven that this desirable union should be accomplished till many long years of war and distress had afflicted both

E

these nations. The young Queen of Scotland sickened and died, and the treaty for the marriage was ended with her life.

V.-Usurpation of Edward I. of
England.

De-spair', hopelessness; Ter'mi-nate, to end; to

despondence.

limit.

No-bil'i-ty, persons of high Main-tain', to assert; to

rank; dignity; grandeur.
Sub-mit', to refer to; to
be subject.
Suc-ces'sion, rightful in-
heritance; orderly se-
ries.

Sum'mon, to call with au-
thority.
De-cide', to determine.
Vas'sal, subject; depend-

ent.

Re-nounce', to give up; to
disown.

Con-sult', to ask advice.
Com-pet'i-tor, a rival.
A-ward', to give judgment.
Can'di-date, one who soli-
cits a place.

Bar'on, a nobleman.

The kingdom of Scotland was troubled, and its inhabitants sunk into despair, at the death of their young princess. Ten persons, most of them powerful nobles, and more or less distantly related to the royal family, set up claims to the crown; and, if they should

dispute the question of right by the sword, it was evident that the whole country would be at war from one sea to the other. To prevent so great a calamity, the Scottish nobility resolved to submit the question respecting the succession of their kingdom, to Edward the First of England. Edward summoned the nobility and clergy of Scotland to meet him at the castle of Norham, a large and strong fortress, which stands on the English side of the Tweed, on the line where that river divides England from Scotland. They met there on the 10th May 1291, and were presented to the King of England, who received them in great state, surrounded by the high officers of his court. He was a very handsome man, and so tall, that he was popularly known by the name of Longshanks, that is, long legs. The Justiciary of England then informed the nobility and clergy of Scotland, in King Edward's name, that before he could proceed to decide who should be the vassal King of Scotland, it was necessary that they should acknowledge the King of England's right as Lord Paramount, or Sovereign of that kingdom.

The nobles and churchmen of Scotland were surprised to hear the King of England propose a claim which had never been admitted, except for a short time, in order to procure the freedom of King William the Lion,

66

and which had been afterwards renounced for ever by Richard I. They refused to give any answer until they should consult together by themselves. By St. Edward!" said the King, "whose crown I wear, I will make good my just rights, or perish in the attempt!" He then dismissed the assembly, allowing the Scots a delay of three weeks, however, to accede to his terms.

At the second meeting, all the competitors who were present acknowledged the King of England as Lord Paramount of Scotland, and that they were willing to receive and hold the crown of Soctland, as awarded by Edward in that character. Upon examining the claims of the candidates, the right of succession to the throne of Scotland was found to lie chiefly betwixt Robert Bruce, the Lord of Annandale, and John Baliol, who was the Lord of Galloway. Both were great and powerful barons; both were of Norman descent, and had great estates in England as well as Scotland, and both were descended from the Scottish royal family. David, a former King of Scotland, had had but one son, who died before him, leaving three sons; first, Malcolm IV., who ascended the throne, and died without issue; second, William, who succeeded his brother; and third, David, Earl of Huntingdon. The line of William terminated in the Princess of Norway. Baliol