Page:History of Sir William Wallace (1).pdf/72

 ( 72 ) Besides, at that period, Ireland was granted to Henry II, by Pope Adrian, for conversion and for conquest. "Royal force and private adventurers,'had made progress in the holy work. Though the Irish were probably of the une origin with the western and highland Scots yet they had been long separated, and they were too savage and too incapable of extensive views of policy, to unite in the Scots against the common foe of their liberties. The Dines and the Norwins anciently conquered the Scottish Isles, male themselves masters of England ravaged the coasts of a great part of Europe, and role triumphant upon the northern and midille sons, as their unrivalled lords. But their dory nion in Britain and its adjacent isles was now overthrown- Piracy had given place to conmmerce V rious causes had terminated that system of terror and devastation, with which the martial people of the north afflicted the kingdoms of the south. The prival force of Norway was now so reduced, that Eric could not equin a ffeet to invade Scotland, and claim the throne of his daughter for himself. Previous to this pert, France, the rival of England, had begun to practise the policy of prevailing upon the Scots to invade England, as often as the English invaded the French dominions. But this policy had not yet ac- quired a regular form, nor produced any im- portant effect, either upon the ordinary govern- menty or the cccurring revolutions of the Scots. In