nearly a hundred years after the union of the Crowns; but the
beginning of the seventeenth century inaugurated the period of its
decline.

"The succession of James to the Crown of England," Ridpath remarks, "and
both kingdoms thus devolving on one sovereign, was an event fruitful of
blessing to each nation. The Borders, which for many ages had been almost
a constant scene of rapine and devastation, enjoyed, from this happy era,
a quiet and order which they had never before experienced; and the island
of Britain derived from the union of the two Crowns, a tranquility and
serenity hitherto unknown, and was enabled to exert its whole native
force. National prejudices, and a mutual resentment, owing to a series of
wars betwixt the kingdoms, carried on for centuries, still however
subsisted, and disappointed James' favourite scheme of an entire and
indissoluble union. From the same source also arose frequent disputes and
feuds upon the Marches, which by the attention of the sovereign were soon
and easily composed; and are not of moment enough to merit a particular
relation. But it required almost a hundred years, though England and
Scotland were governed all the time by a succession of the same princes,
to wear off the jealousies and prepossessions of the formerly hostile
nations, and to work such a change in their tempers and views, as to admit
of an incorporating and an effectual union."[131]

But another and most important agent in the pacification and social
regeneration of the Borders was the development, under the fostering care
of the Church, of what is known as the Parochial system of education. The
Roman Catholic Church in earlier times was not, as has sometimes been
erroneously supposed, inimical to the intellectual culture of the nation.
In its palmy days it undertook the work of educating the people with an
enthusiasm which commands the respect of most unbiased students of our
national history.

In this respect the monasteries, especially, rendered important services
to the community. Long before the Reformation there were at least three
classes of schools in Scotland--the "Sang Schools," connected with the
Cathedrals or more important Churches--the "Grammar Schools," which were
founded in the principal burghs in the country--and the "Monastic
Schools," which were, as the name implies, connected with the monasteries.
"The interest in education," says Prof. Story, "which had distinguished
the Columban Church, w