against all mortala. From which William, king of Scotland, he subsequently exacted due satisfaction for his violation of his compact, and his rash presumption in betrothing bis daughter to the count of Boulogne, without the consent of king John, his lord. "Again, Alexander, king of Scotland, our own sister's husband, did homage to Henry, king of England, our own father, and afterwards to us ourselves, for the kingdom of Scotland. Then, when the kingdom of Scotland was vacant, in consequence of the death of that king, Alexander, and afterwards through the death of Margaret, queen and lady of the same country of Scotland, our niece, the bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons, chieftains, and other nobles, and all the communities of the entire kingdom of Scotland, coming to us of their own free and spontaneous will, as (heir liege defender, general, governor, captain, and chief lord of the aforesaid kingdom of Scotland, as they were bound of right to do, and they purely, plainly, and absolutely recognised our right, and that of our progenitors and predecessors, and our and their possession of superior and direct authority in the said kingdom, and the subjection of the said kingdom, of their own certain knowledge ; and when they had taken thé proper and customary oaths of fealty to us, as the superior and direct lord of Scotland, and had given into our hand the cities, boroughs, towns, and other strong places of the aforesaid kingdom, we did of our own royal right depute certain officers and ministers to be the guardians of the aforesaid kingdom, to whom, during the time of this vacancy, they were all unanimously obedient, submitting themselves to our injunctions and commands. But, in A.D . 1291, when different persons began to contend with one another about their hereditary right to the succession of the aforesaid kingdom of Scotland, they came before us, as the superior lord of the kingdom of Scotland, requesting that we would do them full justice as to the said kingdom concerning the succession of the said kingdom, wishing, and expressly consenting before us, as before the superior and direct lord of the kingdom of Scotland, to submit to and obey Us in all our régulations. And, at last, after the rights of all the parties had -been publicly laid before us, and sufficiently heard, examined, investigated, and carefully comprehended by us, we finally, in the presence of all the prelates and nobles, as it were, of the whole kingdom of Scotland, proceeding by their ex