The British Story Briefly Told; From Early Times to the Present Period, Illustrated with Thirty-Six Engravings Representing the Sovereigns in Their Proper Costumes (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1840 Excerpt: ... 139 CHAPTER VH. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. We have now brought our story down to the year 1272, and have noticed the principal actions of England's rulers during more than two hundred years from the Conquest. There are, however, other matters connected with the Story of Britain, which we must glance at a little. We are about to enter on the reign of the renowned Edward the First; and, as his notoriety was chiefly occasioned by affairs with Scotland, this is the place to say another word or two respecting that kingdom. There is, however, a great scarcity of information on Scottish events before the thirteenth century; and one reason of this is, that our Edward, for certain purposes to be explained, destroyed all the national SCOTTISH AFFAIRS. 13$ records of that people which he could find. However, some things we do know; there was a king of Scotland, in the twelfth century, whom we have before mentioned as assisting Matilda against Stephen, and also aiding Henry II. in his efforts for the throne: I mean David I. He appears to have been a sort of Alfred in his dominions, whether we regard him as a man, a warrior, or a legislator. He had considerable possessions in England, where he owned nearly as much territory as the king of England. He was succeeded by various kings, of whom we know little of importance, except that they became connected with the royal line of England by marriage, and that, upon the death of Alexander III., in the reign of our Edward I., the succession to the crown was disputed by several candidates, amongst whom the two most celebrated were Robert Bruce and John Baliol. It was then that the great transactions between England and Scotland commenced, which led at length to the union of the two crowns. And, now we may ask again, were there any, ...