e heir presumptive to the throne, and
as such was recognized by an assembly of the estates at Scone. But
we all hoped that the king would have male heirs, for early last
year, while still in the prime of life, he married Joleta, daughter
of the Count of Drew. Unhappily, on the 19th of March, he attended
a council in the castle of Edinburgh, and on his way back to his
wife at Kinghorn, on a stormy night, he fell over a precipice and
was killed.

"The hopes of the country now rested on the `Maid of Norway,' who
alone stood between the throne and a number of claimants, most of
whom would be prepared to support their claims by arms, and thus
bring unnumbered woes upon Scotland. Most unhappily for the country,
the maid died on her voyage to Scotland, and the succession therefore
became open.

"You will see on this chart, which I have drawn out, the lines by
which the principal competitors--for there were nigh upon a score
of them--claimed the throne.

"Before the death of the maid, King Edward had proposed a marriage
between her and his young son, and his ambassadors met the Scottish
commissioners at Brigham, near Kelso, and on the 18th of July, 1290,
the treaty was concluded. It contained, besides the provisions of
the marriage, clauses for the personal freedom of Margaret should
she survive her husband; for the reversion of the crown failing
her issue; for protection of the rights, laws, and liberties of
Scotland; the freedom of the church; the privileges of crown vassals;
the independence of the courts; the preservation of all charters
and natural muniments; and the holding of parliaments only within
Scotland; and specially provided that no vassal should be compelled
to go forth of Scotland for the purpose of performing homage or
fealty; and that no native of Scotland should for any cause whatever
be compelled to answer, for any breach of covenant or from crime
committed, out of the kingdom.

"Thus you see, my boy, that King Edward at this time fully recognized
the perfect independence of Scotland, and raised no claim to any
suzerainty over it. Indeed, by Article I it was stipulated that
the rights, laws, liberties, and customs of Scotland should remain
for ever entire and inviolable throughout the whole realm and its
marches; and by Article V that the Kingdom of Scotland shall remain
separate and divided from England, free in itself, and without
subjection, according to its right boundaries and marches, as
heretof