ck, and beyond, the Campsie range. Gardens and deer parks
girdled the Abbey round; few houses were near except the little
village of dependants on the other side of the stream; and no sound
beyond the precincts broke the solitude, save the wind as it roared
through the beech forest, the bell of a distant chapel, or, on a
calm evening, the chimes of the Cathedral of Saint Mungo, seven
miles away. It was a well-chosen spot, answering in every way the
requirements of the Benedictines, who, we are told, "preferred to
build in an open position at the back of a wooded chain of
hills.""[361]

Paisley illustrates what was said by Dr. Cosmo Innes regarding the
country as a whole.

"Scotland of the twelfth century had no cause to regret the
endowment of a church.... Repose was the one thing most wanted, and
people found it under the protection of the crozier."[362]

The Church became the great factor in the development of civilisation
throughout the district. Had not the monastic system been good, it would
not have lasted so long; had it not had within it the elements of
weakness, it would not have come to such an untimely end. And even
while we criticise it is well to recall the words of Newman: "Not a man
in Europe who talks bravely against the Church, but owes it to the
Church that he can talk at all."[363]

The great abbey of Paisley was much to its neighbourhood, and its
history is the history of its district. It is a memorial of the coming
to Scotland of the great family of Stewart, which has left such a deep
impress on Scottish history. Walter, son of Alan of Shropshire, joined
David I. at the siege of Winchester, and the king showed to him great
favour, taking him into his household, and conferring on him the title
of Lord High Steward of Scotland. King Malcolm was even more generous,
ratified the title to Walter and his heirs, and bestowed on him a wide
territory, chiefly in Renfrewshire.[364] The Steward soon colonised
after the fashion of the time, built a castle for himself in the
neighbourhood of Renfrew, and gave holdings to his followers throughout
the wide territory of Strathgyff, as his Renfrewshire property was
called. But in those days no colonisation was complete without a
monastery, and this the Lord High Steward proceeded to found, entering
into an agreement with Humbold, Prior of Wenlock Abbey in the native
county of his family, to establish at "Passelay"