TRANSACTIONS OF THE GLASGOW ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

NO. X.

SCOTLAND IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

NOTES BY MR. ALEXANDER GALLOWAY ON THE WORK OF COSMO INNES.

[Read at a Meeting of the Glasgow Archæological Society, on 5th March, 1860.]

As antiquaries and Scotchmen, we regard with much interest every new contribution of materials to the elucidation of our country's history, and, if the quality be good, we welcome the arrival with much satisfaction. The object of the present paper is to lay before the society a brief description of the principal contents of Mr. Innes' new book, entitled "Scotland in the Middle Ages," with a few relative observations. Although only four weeks have passed since it appeared, probably every member of this society has already given it more or less attention; and, fresh as the subject is, it be presumed that while some of our members present may be willing to exchange opinions on its merits, all will have pleasure in recognising whatever of value has been acquired, and in marking what remains to be sought for.

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Scotland's sons have not been less anxious than the men of other lands to produce a veritable and perfect delineation of their country's history, and it might be admitting too much to let it be said they have been less diligent. That they have been less successful, is perhaps owing to the non-existence of sufficient materials, or to the difficulty of procuring enough of such as do exist and are substantial. In their endeavour to rear a temple which might compete creditably with those of foreign countries, early builders have hastily mixed up much rubbish with substances of enduring nature, available at the time, and successors have been content to patch the structure as they best could, each in his turn proclaiming that now all was sound. Mr. Tytler, apprehensive that the foundations and basement were faulty, and would not safely bear being disturbed, commenced his operations at the accession of Alexander III.

(1249). Mr. Innes is of opinion that there is nothing sound before the period of the Norman conquest of England (1066), when, he thinks, it may be said Scottish history begins. But he considers that for apprehending "the structure of our political society, and the domestic history of our ancestors, their modes of thought, feeling, and action," the history of Continental Europe from 768, when Charlemagne succeeded to the great Frankish empire, should be carefully studied; and he asserts that the history of our own country at this time is a blank.

In sketching the state of Europe at the commencement of Charlemagne's reign, he says there may be noticed the following facts:1st, The Celtic race had almost disappeared-part remaining, indeed, in their former locality, but only as bondsmen to foreign masters, and part retired to the defiles of Armorica and the gorges of the Alps-so that "they may, without much injustice to history, be discounted as an independent people from the politics of Europe;" 2d, The Teutonic people filled the land from the Mediterreanan to the North Sea; 3d, The Franks, a German confederation, had become very powerful, and were occupying the fairest provinces of Europe; 4th, The Sclaves, Wends, and Bavarians were also powerful; 5th, The Scandinavians and Saxons were numerous in the north-west-the former, known under the name of Northmen or Danes, being "the terror of every coast in Europe," and the latter having established colonies in England some centuries before Charlemagne's time; 6th, The Moors were in Spain; 7th, The Lombards on the south side of the Alps; 8th, The Italians on the banks of the Tiber; 9th, The Byzantines on the Bosphorus.

In noticing the Saxons, he gives an extract from a manuscript, of date A.D. 743, found in the Vatican, which is remarkable as showing that the speech of the common people then in use is recognised and understood at the present day by Germans, Dutch, Scandinavians, Scotch, and English, and by all other now existing peoples who speak a genuine Teutonic language. As to the old Roman influence, he remarks that the power of the formerly vast empire, although finally destroyed, had left permanent effects throughout Europe, especially in the constitution of burghal communities.

It the first of the two introductory chapters the author indulges in some small details regarding the person of Charlemagne-his foot, his eyes, his nose, his hair, his dress, and his individual peculiarities and manner of life, which may seem to have no proper place

in reference to sketches of Scotland; but those are followed by an admirable selection from his biography, showing features of the then state of society in Europe, and principles of the internal government of some of its nations. His wars with the Saxons, the Lombards, and the Moors, and the great eventual extent of his power, are referred to. What is said about schools, Sabbath observance, and preaching in 788, is specially interesting, as are also some allusions to Church missions, and the increasing influence of Roman episco

pacy.

The second chapter refers to the state of European society under the successors of Charlemagne, and to the progress of feudal institutions. It also glances at Northman colonisation, and then takes up "the affairs of Britain," beginning with the old Roman period, advancing with the Saxons and Danes, not forgetting Arthur of the Round Table, Edwin who founded Edinburgh, Alfred the Great, and Knut, whom English writers have called Canute, and closing with the advent of William the Conqueror.

The remaining eight chapters are devoted chiefly to Scotland. We are reminded that there is no extant Scottish writing so early as 1093, and no evidence of the existence of any charter, record, or chronicle before 1094 or 1095; that the earliest is a charter to the Monks of Durham by King Duncan, of the latter date, and the next are charters of Edgar his brother and successor; and that after 1107 the series of charters is unbroken. A single leaf of a chronicle, supposed to have been written about 1165, is assumed to be the earliest of that class of documents, and the Melrose chronicle of the thirteenth century is stated to be the most ancient writing of the nature of continuous history (meaning of course Scottish history) now extant. The oldest collection of Scottish laws was lately recovered from the Swiss Government, and dates about 1270: the next is a manuscript picked up from a book-stall at Ayr in 1824, and which is believed to have been written in the early half of the fourteenth century. State papers begin about 1260 or 1270. A century later our earliest chronicle writers, Barbour, Wintoun, and Fordun, appear.

These notices are followed by the author's views as to the state of Scotland at the beginning of the twelfth century, and by the usual speculations about "the hereditary natives" and their language. Then comes the battle of the Standard (1138), and the unfortunate conduct of these natives in that luckless engagement, which resulted

in the permanent loss to Scotland of Northumberland and CumberExtracts from the speeches of the leaders prior to the battle. are given in the style of the old Greek and Roman historians, and although written by Abbot Ailred, we may fancy those addresses to have been, like theirs, rather imaginary than real. Next, we have the saintly qualities of David I.; but, before considering their sairness to the croon, we are called on to look back to the writings of the venerable Bede, four centuries earlier, and to believe in all that is narrated from hearsay about Palladius, and Ninian, and Columba, who lived two or three centuries before Bede. We are assured that the poor little island of Iona is about the most interesting object referred to in the history of Christian Europe. It had but five families on it, and Columba got a present of it and them from Conal, who is called king. Mr. Innes grows warm upon the subject of Iona, and speaks magnificently about tempestuous seas, Pagan savages, pious monks, "their humble thatched church" and the virtues of celibacy. In this eloquent fit, he doubts not that hundreds of our Scottish parish divisions "can still be connected with their dedication to the preachers who had first taught there the faith and doctrines they had received from St. Columba." Next come the weary Culdees, who, he says, "have had the undeserved fortune of being claimed as Protestants by zealous opponents of Rome." They are finished off by David dismissing them to the island of Lochleven, where they are ordered to remain in peace, and told that if they will not obey this injunction they will be turned out of the island. The monks on Iona, or Y, or Hij, are disposed of less agreeably; for Norse "hordes," "pirates," "heathens," "ravagers," "Gentiles," come at the end of the eighth and beginning of the ninth century," lay waste the Hebrides, burn Icolmkill, slay the family of Y, and put out the light which had shed religion and civilisation over Britain.

We are reminded of ancient Glasgow also, and the "old tradition of a church founded by St. Kentigern in the middle of the sixth century," that is one hundred years before St. Columba, and two hundred before Charlemagne, endowed with ample possessions, but the property wrongfully held, or neglected, as appearing to be without owners, until David I. made inquest by a jury, whose return or report is still extant. James I., if in David's place, would of course have pounced upon these possessions as undoubtedly Crown property; but David's mission was to nurse the monks. In various other instances where James thought his priest-ridden Royal an

cestor had been sore on the Crown, it is believed that David only restored lands to religious houses who had long been the lawful possessors, or rather that he had assigned to such institutions of one denomination what had belonged to similar establishments of another name. That crown lands, to a great extent, were handed over by David to monasteries is unquestioned, but our author thinks "it may be doubted whether they would be turned at that time more to the benefit of the country."

It is not alone as a great church planter that David is prominent. Mr. Innes thinks 66 we owe to him all the civil institutions and structure of our present society." He maintains that "the builders of the great fabric of civilisation were Charlemagne, Alfred, and David," and he quotes Abbot Ailred, a contemporary biographer of David, who writes of him thus:-"Scotland, formerly uncultivated and barren, he made productive and fertile-Scotland, formerly the beggar from other countries, bearing nothing but famine to its inhabitants, he made to relieve the wants of neighbouring countries from her abundance. He adorned her with castles and cities, and filled her ports with foreign merchandise. He covered the former nakedness of her people with robes of purple and fine linen, instead of shaggy cloaks. He reformed their barbarous manners with Christian religion, and taught her priests a more becoming life."

David's grandson, William the Lion, is represented as engaged in extending the bounds of civilisation, and issuing charters, which still exist, and which mark his frequent residence at no fewer than twenty royal castles named. The families of Fitzalan and De Morevil had secured hereditarily the offices of Great Steward or Chamberlain, and High Constable or Marischal. In one year, 1264, the Chamberlain accounted for £5213, money drawn from crown land rents, mails of royal burghs, casualties of ward, relief, marriage, and nonentries, fines of the royal courts, and in a small measure from customs and duties of merchandise. The expenses of the household came to £2224, besides wine, £439, silks, furs, and other articles of dress, sweetmeats, and small expenses, £410; of the Queen to £795; and of the army to the not extravagant sum of £180. The cost of repairing and maintaining royal castles and their garrisons had to be added to this; also of ships and seamen, hawks and hounds, and their attendants, &c. Many details relative to those accounts and to the domestic doings and habits of "our ancient forefathers," and of the clergy are given in illustration. As to the church, he says"Every lord's manor became a parish, and in some districts two