[17] Hemingford.
[18] The extent of this homage became a matter of negociation, and the question was not finally adjusted until some three or four years after.
[19] Macaulay.
[20] “The first mention of the term, ‘parliament,’” says Blackstone, “is in the preamble to the ‘Statute of Westminster,’ A.D. 1275.”
[21] “He issued,” says Rapin, “writs of enquiry to two commissioners in every county, to enquire what his royalties, and the liberties and prerogatives of his crown were; who were his tenants in capito; and how many and what fees they held of him. Also of his tenants in ancient demesne—how they had behaved themselves, and in what condition the lands were. Also of the sheriffs, coroners, and bailiffs, and their clerks—whether they had extorted money, or had wronged any one, or had taken bribes. This first step,” says Rapin, “produced a wonderful effect upon the people.”
[22] “But Edward never faltered in his purpose, and the inquiry went on, at intervals, through a period of more than twenty years.”—Pearson’s Hist. Eng., vol. ii., p. 298.
[23] This appears to us now a punishment of terrible severity. Yet we ourselves, in the days of George III., were in the habit of hanging men in great numbers for fabricating imitative bank‐notes. All our modern civilization, at the beginning of the present century, had not carried us beyond the usages of Edward’s day.
[24] “Seldom,” says Mr. Pearson, “has a shameful and violent death been better merited than by a double‐dyed traitor like David, false by turns to his country and his king; nor could justice be better honoured than by making the last penalty of rebellion fall upon the guilty prince, rather than on his followers.”—“History of England,” vol. ii., p. 330.
[25] Tytler’s History of Scotland, vol. i., p. 431.
[26] Pearson’s Hist, of England, vol. ii., p. 336.