Page:History of Sir William Wallace (1).pdf/70

 ( 70 ) Janged. Social union and civil establishments had advanced to a high lyr...omrovenient from what they were in the primitive rude 89 and instability of Scotland; but still they were fir from what they now are in this advanced stat: of Society. The original petty hords were selected into communities. Union or eoquest had coalesced them into one kingdom: pirtical incursions of the Normans Crused, their Hebudian possessions were d.o. qushed with the exception of that funilo ich occupied the throne, most of the anciene independent chieftains bad perished. The fonus of feu lal dominion, socongenial to bubarous subordination were firinly estab- lished. Either by grants or by alliance, the Nira Knights had obtained possession of most of the great gifts under the Scottish crown. The incessant quarrels among rival skus: the insurrections and struggles of the powerful vassals against the crown; and the wars of the sovereign with his subjects, suc- ceded the ancient contentions between the in dependent chefs. The tenures by which property was held' was generally of a feudal Batur. But the usurpations of the Church, the short period in which the feudal law had existed the inorance of the age, and the pra- donnance of worce our reason, combined to render the application of the fudal law, in the intricate and multifarious busins old society dificult to be seertad, uither by institution er by precedenti. Scotland