Page:Life of Sir William Wallace.pdf/7

 that Baliol's, was the preferable title, as the representative of his mother and grand-mother; but in that age, when the order of succession was not ascertained with such precision, the question appeared no less intricate than important, and an appeal to arms, it was feared, would ultimately, terminate the dispute. Wishing, if possible, to avoid this, the candidates agreed to refer their claims to Edward I. of England, one of the most politic and enterprising monarchs of the day, and to abide by his decision. Edward had long wished to annex Scotland to his own dominions and the authority of umpire afforded him a pretext for executing his ambitious schemes. Under the guise of examining the question with more solemnity, he summoned the Scots Barons to Norham, where, overawed by his power or won by his artifices, he prevailed on all present, not excepting Bryce and Baliol, to acknowledge him Lord Paramount of Scotland, and swear fealty to him in that character.

It was on this occasion urged by Edward the English monarchs were the natural, and acknowledged superiors of the kingdom of Scotland, which was only an appanage of the English, crown, and that, at different periods, this right had been authenticated by the homage of the Scottish princes. The fact was that these acts of fealty were only rendered for possessions of the Scottish sovereigns lying on the northern frontier of the English dominions, namely, for those tracts comprehended in the modern counties of Northumberland, Durham, &c. These territories, from their lying on the threshold of the two kingdoms had formed the theatre of many sanguinary conflicts, and had at divers times changed masters, till they came at last to be considered as belonging