[34] Pearson’s Hist. of England, vol. ii., p. 292.
[36] The “Chronicle of Lanercost” gives us this anecdote of the manners of that day: “Richard de Clare, earl of Gloucester, paid a visit to Robert Grosstête, bishop of Lincoln, who received him with great honour, and desired his seneschal to provide a fitting dinner. At table the earl was seated at his host’s right hand, and it was a day when meat was not permitted by the Church. It was customary to eat choice sea wolves [the dog‐fish, still eaten in parts of Normandy], and the servant placed a very fine fish before the bishop, and a smaller one before the earl. The bishop was angry, and said, ‘Take away this fish, or else bring the earl one equally fine.’ The servant said that there was no other so large. ‘Then,’ said the bishop, ‘take away this first and give it to the poor, and bring me one like the earl’s.’”—“Chronicle of Lanercost,” p. 44.
[37] “Chronicle of Lanercost,” A.D. 1291.
SCOTTISH AFFAIRS—THE ARBITRATION—THE WAR.
The year 1290, as we have already observed, was the disastrous one which ended Edward’s peaceful career, and involved him, without any purpose or desire of his own, in troubles and strife for the rest of his days. The death of a young princess, at a distance of five hundred miles from Edward’s dominions, involved the northern part of the island in troubles which he alone had power to quell. His interposition, earnestly and loudly called for, became, apparently, inevitable. But, when once engaged in the attempt, there seemed no option left him in any of the after‐proceedings. Step followed step, by absolute necessity, until the annexation of the Scottish realm became the natural and unavoidable close; and in this way, without having any alternative, he became an object of enmity to almost every Scotchman, and drew down on his memory in after times, the bitter and unjust animadversions of a long series of prejudiced historians.
A controversy had existed between England and Scotland for centuries before Edward was born. Various kings of England had received the homage alike of the princes of Wales and of the kings of Scotland. We have seen that when Edward was to be crowned, his brother‐in‐law, Alexander of Scotland, came to Westminster and paid his homage; while Llewellyn of Wales, not denying his liability, tried to evade that ceremony by various excuses.