What aided freedom within
was as of old the peril without. France was still menacing, and a claim
advanced by Pope Boniface the Eighth at its suggestion to the feudal
superiority over Scotland arrested a new advance of the king across the
border. A quarrel however which broke out between Philip le Bel and the
Papacy removed all obstacles. It enabled Edward to defy Boniface and to
wring from France a treaty in which Scotland was abandoned. In 1304 he
resumed the work of invasion, and again the nobles flung down their arms as
he marched to the North. Comyn, at the head of the Regency, acknowledged
his sovereignty, and the surrender of Stirling completed the conquest of
Scotland. But the triumph of Edward was only the prelude to the carrying
out of his designs for knitting the two countries together by a generosity
and wisdom which reveal the greatness of his statesmanship. A general
amnesty was extended to all who had shared in the resistance. Wallace, who
refused to avail himself of Edward's mercy, was captured and condemned to
death at Westminster on charges of treason, sacrilege, and robbery. The
head of the great patriot, crowned in mockery with a circlet of laurel, was
placed upon London Bridge. But the execution of Wallace was the one blot on
Edward's clemency. With a masterly boldness he entrusted the government of
the country to a council of Scotch nobles, many of whom were freshly
pardoned for their share in the war, and anticipated the policy of Cromwell
by allotting ten representatives to Scotland in the Common Parliament of
his realm. A Convocation was summoned at Perth for the election of these
representatives, and a great judicial scheme which was promulgated in this
assembly adopted the amended laws of King David as the base of a new
legislation, and divided the country for judicial purposes into four
districts, Lothian, Galloway, the Highlands, and the land between the
Highlands and the Forth, at the head of each of which were placed two
justiciaries, the one English and the other Scotch.

[Sidenote: Rising of Bruce]

With the conquest and settlement of Scotland the glory of Edward seemed
again complete. The bitterness of his humiliation at home indeed still
preyed upon him, and in measure after measure we see his purpose of
renewing the strife with the baronage. In 1303 he found a means of evading
his pledge to levy no new taxes on merchandise save by assent of the realm
in a consent of the foreign merc