Chapter I

CONDITION OF SCOTLAND TO THE END OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.

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Scotland and Spain are very dissimilar in regard to loyalty 1

But are very similar in regard to superstition 4

The Scotch unite liberality in politics with illiberality in
religion. This is the largest and most important fact in their
history; and the rest of the Volume will be occupied in
investigating its causes 5

Influence of physical geography 5-7

Roman invasion of Scotland 7-9

Irish invasion of Scotland 9

Norwegian invasion of Scotland 11-12

English invasion of Scotland 12-17

The injury which these invasions inflicted upon Scotland
stopped the growth of towns, and thereby favoured the power of
the nobles 18

The power of the nobles was still further favoured by the
physical structure of the country 19-20

And by the weakness of the Crown 20-21

Hence their authority had, before the close of the fourteenth
century, become enormous. The Crown, completely overshadowed
by them, could derive no aid from the citizens, because, owing
to the circumstances just mentioned, there were no cities 21-23

For, industry was impossible, and the commonest arts were
unknown 23-26

Evidence of the scanty population of the Scotch towns 26-30

They were too feeble and insignificant to elect their own
magistrates 32-33

The municipal element being thus imperfect, the only ally,
which the Crown could possibly find, was the Church 34-35

Hence, a coalition between the kings and the clergy against
the nobles 34

The clergy were the only body who could withstand the nobles.
Causes of the great influence of the clergy 35-44