ned against him.

* Bacon, p. 586. Polyd. Virg. p; 574.

CHAPTER XXV.

HENRY VII.

{1488.} The king acquired great reputation throughout Europe by the
vigorous and prosperous conduct of his domestic affairs; but as some
incidents about this time invited him to look abroad, and exert himself
in behalf of his allies, it will be necessary, in order to give a
just account of his foreign measures, to explain the situation of
the neighboring kingdoms, beginning with Scotland, which lies most
contiguous.

The kingdom of Scotland had not yet attained that state which
distinguishes a civilized monarchy, and which enables the government, by
the force of its laws and institutions alone, without any extraordinary
capacity in the sovereign, to maintain itself in order and tranquillity.
James III., who now filled the throne, was a prince of little industry
and of a narrow genius; and though it behoved him to yield the reins of
government to his ministers, he had never been able to make any choice
which could give contentment both to himself and to his people. When he
bestowed his confidence on any of the principal nobility, he found that
they exalted their own family to such a height as was dangerous to the
prince, and gave umbrage to the state: when he conferred favor on any
person of meaner birth, on whose submission he could more depend,
the barons of his kingdom, enraged at the power of an upstart minion,
proceeded to the utmost extremities against their sovereign. Had Henry
entertained the ambition of conquests, a tempting opportunity now
offered of reducing that kingdom to subjection; but as he was probably
sensible that a warlike people, though they might be overrun by reason
of their domestic divisions, could not be retained in obedience without
a regular military force, which was then unknown in England, he rather
intended the renewal of the peace with Scotland, and sent an embassy to
James for that purpose. But the Scots, who never desired a durable peace
with England, and who deemed their security to consist in constantly
preserving themselves in a warlike posture, would not agree to more than
a seven years' truce, which was accordingly concluded.[*]

* Polyd. Virg. p. 575.

The European states on the continent were then hastening fast to the
situation in which they have remained, without any material alteration,
for near three centuries; and began to unite themselves into one
extensive sys