Caledonia, Or, a Historical and Topographical Account of North Britain From the Most Ancient to the Present Times (Volume 47); With a Dictionary of Places, Chorographical and Philological

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887. Excerpt: ... land in 1305; and those Scotican Services were no doubt Gaelic Customs, though somewhat different perhaps from the Can and Conveth which are so often mentioned in the charters of the kings and bishops as their ancient dues throughout the realm during the whole Scoto-Saxon period. Both those taxes or duties are properly Celtic as the words imply, and came down from the Celtic Kings to the Scoto-Saxon dynasty as legal rights by lawful transmission (2) The Constitution of Parliament in North-Britain, as it is a subject of great importance and dignity, has engaged the pens of several writers. Theory has also been active to form a system which plausibility might adopt and party might propagate. Under the feudal institutions the Parliament was considered as the king's court for the whole realm; and it resulted as a necessary consequence that the king's vassals were there bound to yield their suit and service (r). Whether all those positions can be supported by record and fact during the Scoto-Saxon period of the Scottish annals may admit of some doubt. Of legislative regulations during the reigns of Edgar and of Alexander there is not the slightest trace. David I. was undoubtedly a legislator. Some of his assizes still remain, though they do not show by whose advice and assent they were made. Neither do the leges Burgorum exhibit the exact authority by which they were enacted. David held an assembly of the clergy and barons at Carlisle in 1138, which may be deemed an ecclesiastical rather than a civil council, as it appears to have been called by the Pope's legate (s). Malcolm IV. did not leave any assizes that have come down to modern times, though he undoubtedly had enjoyed aids which he had obtained of the estates of his realm and may be now traced in the Ch...